A trial for appropriately trained pharmacists to provide community access to important medications and treatments usually only available with a prescription, is running in NSW.
From September 2023, eligible women in NSW can visit one of more than 1000 pharmacies to receive a resupply of their oral contraceptive pill (the pill) as part of the NSW Pharmacy Trial.
This page answers frequently asked questions about the NSW Pharmacy Trial and the supply of the pill by participating pharmacies.
A clinical trial or trial is a research study. It shows if a new approach to prevention, screening, diagnosis, or treatment of a medical condition can help deliver safe care.
Trained pharmacists in this trial can supply medicines to help treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) and supply some oral contraceptive pills (the pill) to eligible people. These people won’t need a prescription (sometimes called a script) from their doctor. This will test if it is safe and easy to get these medicines from a pharmacist. The study will also check there is good communication between your pharmacist and doctor to make sure you receive consistent care.
Eligible women in NSW can visit a participating pharmacy for the treatment of an uncomplicated UTI from May 2023 and access a 12-month re-supply of certain low-risk oral contraceptive pills for contraception purposes from September 2023.
The oral contraceptive pill, often called 'the pill', prevents pregnancy. You take this as a tablet.
A participating pharmacist can resupply some Combined Oral Contraceptive pills (COC) and Progestogen-Only Pills (POP or the mini-pill).
A COC is made up of two hormones, an estrogen and a progestogen. POPs or mini-pills contain only progestogen.
Participating pharmacists can only resupply pills containing these types of estrogen and progestogen:
Many brands of the pill are available. and all have different types and doses of these hormones. Your pharmacist will not be able to change the type of pill you are taking. If there is more than one brand available for the type of pill you are taking, discuss which brand you prefer with your pharmacist.
Low-risk pills contain only small amounts of the hormone estrogen, or only contain progestogen.
The pill is safe for most women, however estrogen has been linked to a very small risk of blood clots and stroke.
No, the pharmacist must supply the same pill that you were prescribed by your doctor or nurse practitioner.
It is recommended that you discuss your pill with your doctor regularly.
You should speak to your doctor earlier if you:
Pharmacists can only provide a resupply of your pill if you use it mostly to prevent unplanned pregnancy (contraception).
You will need to speak to your doctor to get a prescription for the resupply of your pill if you are taking it for other reasons, including for reduction of acne (pimples), endometriosis, hormonal migraines or to reduce unwanted hair growth. This is to make sure these other medical conditions are being appropriately monitored by your GP or nurse practitioner.
The pill is safe for most women, however there is a very small risk of:
It is important that you speak to your doctor about the risks of taking the pill based on your age, medical history, family medical history and lifestyle.
Unplanned pregnancy can still occur with the pill.
The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
Other longer acting forms of contraception can be very reliable and, in some users, more likely to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Talk to the pharmacist, your GP or nurse practitioner about these options.
Pharmacists can give you one packet of your oral contraceptive pill each visit. Some types of the pill include more than one month’s supply of the pill in each packet. The pharmacist can continue to provide you with top-ups of your pill for 12 months beyond your original prescription if you meet eligibility criteria as part of the NSW Pharmacy Trial.
No, but you should bring in a box to show what you have been taking if you can.
If your script has expired, you may not be eligible, as a condition of supply is that you have not taken a break from the pill in the time since you saw your prescribing doctor or nurse practitioner.
For some people the potential health risks of taking the pill may outweigh the benefits.
For safety, if you are over 35 years of age it is best to speak to your doctor regularly to check for cardiovascular and other health risks.
Your doctor will provide you with a new prescription if the pill is right for you.
If you are younger than 18 years of age, it is important that you check in with your doctor regularly.
Your doctor will guide you on the best contraceptive method for you. If the doctor recommends the pill, they will provide you with a prescription that you can take to the pharmacy.
NSW Health recommends that you talk to your doctor about which pill is right for you.
Read these Family Planning NSW fact sheets for more information about the:
If you are not eligible to get a resupply of the pill, the pharmacist will recommend that you visit your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner can discuss what type of contraception is right for you. If they recommend the pill, they will provide you a new prescription.
Talk to your pharmacist if you are in this situation for guidance.
The pharmacist will ask you:
The pharmacist will also take your blood pressure and record your height and weight.
The pharmacist is checking that you are eligible to get your next supply of the pill at the pharmacy and that it is safe for you.
Yes, your pharmacist will notify your doctor directly or they will give you a letter to take to your doctor next time you visit.
Pharmacists are already able to dispense a four-month emergency supply of an oral contraceptive pill as well as dispense emergency contraception.
As part of the NSW Pharmacy Trial, pharmacists will be able to continue a script issued by a doctor or nurse practitioner for up to 12 months for low-risk oral contraceptive pills.
If you are more likely to experience side-effects or serious health conditions, the pharmacist will recommend that you speak to your doctor or nurse practitioner.
To receive an extended supply of the oral contraceptive pill (the pill), you will need to:
If you have run out of repeats or your prescription has expired and you meet the above criteria, you are eligible for resupply of the pill.
Not all oral contraceptive pills will be available.
Additional screening questions will be asked during your consultation. This is to ensure you receive the right care from the right healthcare professional at the right time. This means you may be referred to your doctor (GP) or the Emergency Department.
If you need support in your language, tell your pharmacist you need an interpreter.
Find a participating pharmacy near you.
The NSW Government has partnered with the ACT Government to enable some pharmacies in the ACT to participate in the UTI trial and the oral contraceptive pill trial.
In the ACT, your pharmacist may charge a consultation or administration fee. Check with your pharmacist about the cost of the service and medicines before you agree to receive the service.
Your pharmacist may need to refer you to your doctor (GP) or another health care professional to ensure you get the right treatment at the right time. In an emergency, the pharmacist may also refer you to the Emergency Department.
Pharmacist participation in the trial is voluntary and researchers will select these pharmacists to ensure that the data collected for the evaluation is representative of the entire state. Therefore, not all pharmacists will be providing advice or treatment.
Once accepted into the trial, pharmacists must also complete the appropriate training before they can provide this service.
More pharmacies may come on board as the trial progresses. Keep checking the NSW Pharmacy Trial - Participating Pharmacies page over the coming months to see if your local pharmacy is participating.
Outside the trial, pharmacists can help you access a one-off re-supply of the oral contraceptive pill in certain circumstances.
In NSW you do not need to pay a consultation fee to speak to a pharmacist about receiving treatment under the trial.
The NSW Government will pay the pharmacies $20 for each consultation as part of the trial, and pharmacies are not allowed to charge an additional consultation or administration fee in addition to this reimbursement.
The cost of medications will be the same as a private prescription, with the price determined by the pharmacy and paid for by the patient.
Check with your pharmacist about the cost of medicines before you agree to receive the service.
Pharmacists who are participating in the trial have had additional training to supply medication for UTIs and the extended supply of the oral contraceptive pill.
Participating pharmacists will be provided with guidance and protocols as to who is eligible to receive treatment and who must be referred to their doctor (GP) or an Emergency Department.
These guidelines are developed by the trial team in consultation with key stakeholders and are based on international best practice.
Pharmacists in NSW can already assess a wide variety of conditions and dispense medicines for conditions such as travel sickness, musculoskeletal pain, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma that has been previously diagnosed and heartburn/reflux. They can also provide vaccinations against COVID-19, flu, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal ACWY, measles, mumps and rubella and some travel illnesses.
The NSW Government will ensure any future changes to the scope of practice or role of community pharmacists in patient management has been wholistically considered and evaluated in the NSW primary care setting.
Pharmacists will continue to play a key role in referring people who need a medical assessment to their doctor (GP) or, in an emergency, to the hospital.
While we recognise pharmacist prescribing for certain conditions could lead to earlier treatment and may assist in reducing symptoms and distress, it is important to ensure that any risks for individuals and the population will be balanced by the benefits.
Trials have been run in Australia before, however there are significant differences in primary care arrangements across Australia. Evidence from interstate programs is not directly comparable to the primary care system in NSW.
Each phase of the trial will run for 12 months. The UTI phase of the trial commenced in May 2023, while the oral contraceptive pill phase of the trial began in September 2023.
Your pharmacist will provide you with a participant information sheet as part of your consultation. Use the contact details on this information sheet to report a safety concern directly to the trial team.
Concerns about professional practice and care can also be made to the Health Care Complaints Commission or the Pharmacy Council of NSW.
To receive treatment from the pharmacist you will need to provide your name, date of birth, contact details and doctor (GP) name, if you have one.
You will also need to give your consent to participate in the trial and to receive a follow-up call or survey from researchers seven days after your consultation with the pharmacist.
In any publication, report or presentation about the trial, information will be presented so participants cannot be identified. A copy of the summary of the results from this research may be provided to participants.
The information you provide will be kept securely by your pharmacist until collected by the research team.
Data will be kept securely for a minimum period of fifteen years from the completion of the research project. Information will be managed and stored in accordance with the University of Newcastle’s Research Data and Materials Management Guideline or any successor Guideline as well as any other applicable University of Newcastle policy provisions.
The NSW Pharmacy Trial is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). View the Trial registration.
Find answers to frequently asked questions in your language below. You can also talk to your pharmacist and tell them you need an interpreter.
