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Publication, Part of

Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception) 2022/23

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Part 3: Emergency contraception

Introduction

Figures in this part do not represent the full volume of emergency contraceptives provided in England.

Most of the analysis relates to emergency contraception provided at SRH services only. Counts from community prescribing data (items dispensed primarily by pharmacists and GPs - see part 5 for full inclusions) are also shown in the first section - this data is sourced from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, supplied by NHS Prescription Services.

Since 2001, the reclassification of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) meant that it could also be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription (by females aged 16 and over). In addition, nurses and pharmacists can supply EHC to females of all ages under a Patient Group Direction (PGD). PGDs are documents which make it legal for medicines to be provided to groups of patients without individual prescriptions having to be written for each patient. Data on supply by PGD are not collected centrally.


Emergency contraception provision

Emergency contraception provided by SRH services, or dispensed in the community, by year

Community prescribing data is reported by calendar year, so is presented separately from SRH services data.

Over the last ten years, there has been an overall fall in the number of emergency contraception items provided by both SRH services and at other locations in the community.

83,235 items were provided by SRH services in 2022/23. This was an increase of 83% on 2020/21 and an increase of 52% on 2021/22, although the 2020/21 figures had been impacted by Covid-related restrictions in service provision. The 2022/23 figure was 3% higher than in 2019/20 (80,962 items). 


 

The number of emergency contraception prescriptions dispensed in the community was 74,002 in 2022, a fall of 14% compared to 2021 (86,537). Over the last ten years, this has fallen by 68%, from 230,469 items in 2012.


Likelihood of being provided emergency contraception by SRH services, by age

3 per 1,000 of the female population were provided emergency contraception by an SRH service in 2022/23.

The likelihood of a female using an SRH service to obtain emergency contraception varies with age.

Those aged 18 to 19 were the most likely, with 10 per 1,000 population having done so at least once during the year.

There were 1,482 females aged 13 to 15 provided with emergency contraception by an SRH service at least once during the year, representing 2 per 1,000 population.

Availability of mid-year 2022 population estimates

The mid-year 2022 population estimates that would normally have been used to calculate the likelihood of a contact for SRH services in 2022/23 were not available when this publication was prepared and consequently the population estimates for 2021 have been used.


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For more information: Data tables 1, 9a, 9b, 9c, and 13


Emergency contraception provided to under 16s (SRH services only)

Emergency contraception items provided to under 16s, by year

The number of emergency contraception items provided to under 16s by SRH services over the last ten years has fallen both in real terms and as a percentage of those provided to females of all ages (see data table 9a for a longer time series)

1,822 items were provided to under 16s by SRH services in 2022/23, representing 2% of total emergency contraception. This compares to 1,671 items in 2021/22, and 11,810 items in 2012/13 (when it represented 9% of the total items that year). 


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For more information: Data tables 9a, 11, 18a and 18b


Last edited: 27 September 2023 3:25 pm