NHS Direct launch new online contraception checker
10 Feb 2009
You've had unprotected sex, or are worried that your contraception has failed you…what do you do next?
There is now a new online contraception advice option available to anyone who is concerned!
Here to help
NHS Direct has recently launched an online contraception checker to help take the worry out of what to do next. It is designed to deal with enquiries about emergency contraception, missed contraceptive pills, dislodged contraceptive devices, interactions with other medicines, or failed contraceptives.
The new tool takes the methods used by our call centre nurses to assess patients’ concerns over the telephone and adapted these for the website.
A series of questions are asked and the advice that’s given will depend on the information you give. The user will always be anonymous so that we can reach those who may feel less comfortable using the telephone or talking face to face.
Options available to you
Depending on the information given by the user, the contraception checker may suggest a number of options including:
- a conversation with a nurse advisor,
- a visit to the family planning service or your GP to get a prescription for a contraceptive pill, or
- a visit to the nearest pharmacy to buy over the counter emergency contraception.
An anonymous web chat service is also offered if further assessment is advised. Web chat advisors are available from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Anne Joshua, Associate Director of Pharmacy at NHS Direct says:
“Sexual health is one of the major public health challenges and unplanned pregnancy is the most problematic. The contraception checker is ideal for anyone in urgent need of information about what to do if they have had unprotected sex but who also wishes to remain anonymous.
“The user is advised about the next steps to take according to the tried and tested protocols NHS Direct has developed to support telephone calls. In some cases users may be advised to seek professional advice about taking the emergency hormonal contraceptive pill.
“The emergency hormonal contraceptive pill is most effective within 24 hours of sex and is recommended for use up to 72 hours after sex – the contraception checker caters for this urgency. Emergency hormonal contraception however is not a replacement for regular contraception and it is important that women of child-bearing age seek professional advice to ensure they have the best form of contraception for them.”
The future
To give users an easy experience, we are planning to introduce a call back from NHS Direct with the facility to arrange a specific call back from a nurse advisor at a time to suit. This is already in operation for the cold and flu symptom checker, which was launched in December 2008.
Useful facts
Medicine information enquiries are one of the top three reasons people phone the service. Emergency contraception makes up the largest percentage of those calls.
So far there have been 34,700 unique visits to the new online contraception checker. Of those, 409 engaged in anonymous web chats, 3% of those were from men.
