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Matthew Harvey is an Alphega Pharmacy member who runs Greenlane Pharmacy in Liverpool. He is authorised to carry out contraceptive implant procedures and talks about the scheme, which is part of a collaboration between Liverpool City Council and Axess Sexual Health, initially for 12 months, to provide free implants…

How did the free implant scheme first come about?
The scheme was developed in collaboration with the Liverpool LPC and the city’s sexual health commissioner. It’s been years in the making. When the commissioner went out to tender for an integrated sexual health service, he included a pharmacy implant pilot in the bid.

We were already offering a wide range of sexual health services like contraception, chlamydia treatment and depot injections, so implants were a natural next step. While pharmacists can’t fit coils, we’re fully equipped for oral and injectable methods. We had the space and facilities, so we signed up and were selected.

What was the motivation behind shifting services from clinics to pharmacies?
Accessibility. Many patients struggle to get timely appointments at GPs or sexual health clinics. Pharmacies can offer consultations and contraception advice quickly, often during an emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) visit. We’re able to provide a broad range of services right there and then.

How did you collaborate with local partners, including the Council?

Axess Sexual Health approached us as one of the pharmacies offering enhanced sexual health services. Thanks to their strong relationship with the commissioner, we were invited to expand our offering.
The council held seminars to shape a new sexual health strategy, backed by research showing patients were open to accessing services via pharmacies. We added quick start contraception, then chlamydia treatment and eventually moved to implants.

Was there significant uptake when the free implant service launched?
We’ve only been live for a month but we’ve already seen 10 patients, which is a strong start for a brand new service. More are booking in. We’re working with local university halls of residence and using existing communication channels to raise awareness. Interestingly, many patients found us through Google or the Access Sexual Health website.

How has the community responded to the scheme?

Very positively. We ask patients for feedback after their procedures, and the commissioner told us all responses have been glowing. People appreciate the speed and convenience.

A local reporter even asked students if they’d use a pharmacy for implants and they said yes – many feel less stigma visiting a pharmacy than a clinic, because you could be in there for anything. All four of our initial patients came to us because they couldn’t get appointments elsewhere and we were able to see them within the same week. 

What long-term impact do you hope to see?

I want to see an increase in uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives like implants and coils, moving away from reliance on daily tablets and emergency contraception. We want to make these services fully accessible to all members of the public, especially for students and people who can’t find appointments.

Do you think other pharmacies will follow suit?
I do. Other areas are watching Liverpool closely. It’s been a complex process to get this off the ground. The training is intense. It’s equivalent to the training every doctor or nurse does. It took nearly a year to finalise everything. But hopefully, our experience can help streamline the process for others.

Are there any standout data points so far?

While it’s early days, initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Patients said they were “very confident” in our pharmacists’ ability to deliver the implant. We’re still gathering full data but the signs are promising band we’re excited to see how it looks along the line.