ABSTRACT
General practitioners and practice nurses are often best placed to offer good contraceptive advice because they already know the patient’s health and family circumstances. The 2002 Sexual Health Strategy established that primary care should always supply at least ‘Level 1’ basic contraceptive services and should also consider supplying services at ‘Level 2’. Women choosing their first-ever ‘medical’ contraceptive need more than the usual 10 minutes available in most surgeries. ‘However, if the young person refuses to allow this, it is indubitably good practice to initiate suitable ‘medical’ contraceptive, ideally long-acting reversible contraceptive methods (LARC). If LARCs are not supplied on site, practices should have referral arrangements in place for the LARCs, agreed to be within 24 hours for copper intrauterine devices as emergency contraception; and also when appropriate for Level 3 services such as male and female sterilization and medical or surgical abortion.
