Does nurse prescribing improve younger clients’ access to contraception?

P. Blencowe

Northwest London Hospitals Trust, Caryl Thomas Clinic, Harrow, Middlesex, England, UK

Introduction: The Harrow family planning service has had a nurse specialist (NS) working as an independent prescriber since January 2003, a second nurse started in September 2003. Both prescribe within their own NS clinics as well as during doctor (Dr) led sessions. The Nurse-led clinics are aimed at helping to increase access for clients of all ages, but especially for the teenage population who tend to be erratic and spontaneous users. This audit looks at nurse prescribing patterns over a 3-month period (September –December 2003) and compares it with the general prescribing in the other sessions during the same period. Result: Initial results found prescribing between the types of contraception differed very little between NS and Dr clinics. Predictably the combined oral contraceptive pill was the most prescribed for both groups, 71% for NS and 79% for Doctors. Where prescribing patterns differed was within the age ranges of clients, with the NS clinics seeing twice as many women between 16–24 year olds.