A third of British women have said that they find it difficult to get an appointment with a GP or nurse to discuss contraception found a survey by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health (FSRH).
The survey of 1000 women aged 18-49 questioned women on if they felt supported to access contraceptive advice.
A quarter of the respondents said that they do not feel comfortable discussing their choice of contraception with a relevant healthcare professional and one in 10 stated that their preferred method of contraception if not always available from their GP or nurse.
The findings from the survey informed a new report released by the FSRH, highlighting that women need to receive high quality sexual and reproductive healthcare across the life course. Better Care, better future states that women have a right to see a trained healthcare professional to discuss the full range of contraceptive options. The report stated that 'general practice in particular has a pivotal role in promoting high quality sexual and reproductive health and for many will be the first point of call'.
Dr Chris Wilkinson, president of FSRH said: 'It is not acceptable that women are facing such obstacles when accessing contraception. These findings indicate a clear need to prioritise sexual and reproductive healthcare to benefit individuals and society as a whole. With this in mind, we believe it is the right time to launch our Vision and set the benchmark for high quality contraceptive care. We look forward to working in partnership with women, men, our members and other organisations to deliver better contraception and sexual and reproductive health for all.'
Professor Jane Anderson, expert advisor on HIV, Sexual Health and Reproductive Health at Public Health England said: 'PHE welcomes the launch of FSRH’s vision as a guiding document to help improve sexual and reproductive health in England and across the UK. We look forward to working with FSRH to improve access to contraception for all.'