Have you had unprotected sex?
Emergency contraception (or ‘morning after pill’) takes the form of a single pill. This must be taken as soon as possible after having unprotected sex, or when a contraceptive has failed - and within 72 hours at the outside.
Emergency contraception has a lower effectiveness rate than other forms of contraceptive and should not be seen or used as an alternative to more conventional birth control methods such as oral contraception, IUDs or condoms.
As with many other similar schemes operating around the UK, emergency contraception will be available to young women under the age of 16, in some instances without the knowledge of the parents.
Details of services offering a free and confidential emergency contraception service can be found below.
For advice, NHS Direct is available 24 hours a day on 0845 4647.
Doctor - free service.Your GP can supply you with a free prescription during surgery
hours. Ask for an urgent appointment. You may also be able to see your GP after hours by telephoning the on-call service.
Sexual Health Clinics and casualty departments - free service. For details of local clinics and casualty departments offering free emergency contraception please refer to the online Sex Directory.
Pharmacies - Some pharmacists are registered to prescribe free emergency contraception to under 18s and anyone who doesn't pay for their prescriptions. Please ring your local pharmacy to find out if this service is available and if the pharmacist is available that day. If your local pharmacy is not able to offer that service they may be able to suggest which other pharmacies in the area to phone.
Note: all pharmacists, even those not in the Somerset scheme, are able to sell emergency contraception or the ‘morning after pill’ at the full retail price.
