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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how teenagers access contraception

23 replies

HoolaCoola · 27/04/2025 08:35

My DD is late teens, has a boyfriend and trying to be sensible. Has no clue where to get contraception (obviously condoms at the supermarket) so did a quick online search. Great. New NHS service allows certain pharmacies to prescribe the pill to new and existing patients. Off she goes. No. Cant do that. You need to see a doctor. OK. Quick phone call (which i did and specifically asked if she definitely would get prescribed) and she manages to get an appt for a weeks time. Off she goes. No. Cant do that. You have to go to a sexual health clinic. FFS!! How difficult can it be??? How the hell do these kids get help?? She now has to wait another 10 days to get the first apoointment available in a town 25 miles away. How the hell has the teenage pragnancy rate come down if this is how they are treated???

OP posts:
GalantMiner · 27/04/2025 08:45

Round my area the community centres have drop in sessions at lunchtimes where kids can get condoms and information on other services in the area

ScrewedByFunding · 27/04/2025 08:47

Why wouldn't the GP prescribe? Ours would and do.

Longma · 27/04/2025 08:47

In our area you can have them prescribed by the GP surgery or sexual health clinics.
For existing patients it can be from the sexual health clinic (ours here often have same or next day appointments) or several pharmacies.

redphonecase · 27/04/2025 08:48

Just go to her GP.

Agix · 27/04/2025 08:48

It's not that difficult to go and buy condoms at the shop.

It can be slightly more difficult to get prescribed long term medication that will completely alter how your hormones work, and carry real risks depending on your physiology and lifestyle.

If your daughter needs extra checks for the pills, there's going to be a reason. Overweight? Smoke? Drink? Family history of health conditions? No idea, and maybe you don't really know either.

Or, she just went to the wrong place to begin with and made it harder for herself. It's only 10 days.

Tell her to grab some condoms at the shop.

AndImBrit · 27/04/2025 08:51

Agix · 27/04/2025 08:48

It's not that difficult to go and buy condoms at the shop.

It can be slightly more difficult to get prescribed long term medication that will completely alter how your hormones work, and carry real risks depending on your physiology and lifestyle.

If your daughter needs extra checks for the pills, there's going to be a reason. Overweight? Smoke? Drink? Family history of health conditions? No idea, and maybe you don't really know either.

Or, she just went to the wrong place to begin with and made it harder for herself. It's only 10 days.

Tell her to grab some condoms at the shop.

Extra checks that a DOCTOR who prescribes blood pressure drugs or anti depressants or blood thinners or any host of other medication can’t provide?!

It’s absurd the GP didn’t prescribe. Most of my adult friends get the pill on repeat prescription from the GP, or from a sexual health clinic 3-12 months at a time so they still have a regular check in with a medical provider.

Geneticsbunny · 27/04/2025 08:52

Her gp should prescribe. Ours would. They are just passing the buck.

redphonecase · 27/04/2025 08:55

Of course the GP can prescribe. I am one. Formal complaint if they refuse.

fourelementary · 27/04/2025 08:59

YANBU. I’m pretty sure if the local sexual health clinic had been more proactive then dd wouldn’t have had her first baby at 18 (pregnant at 17) as she was passed from pillar to post and appts cancelled due to the festive season…
September baby!
GPs can be really hard to get to see, and sexual health clinics can also be very hit and Miss. It’s not ideal. I would be interested to look at whether the rates of teenage abortion have gone up in the last few years…

EleanorReally · 27/04/2025 09:00

sexual health clinic - i guess she will just have to wait for her appointment

Original poster
HoolaCoola · 27/04/2025 09:01

So it seems the doctor is the one in the wrong. I will ring the health centre tomorrow to discuss. The receptionist booked us in with a doctor covering the saturday surgery because of dd working. I dont even know who her set doctor is these days as she very very rarely goes. I will suggest the receptionist needs extra training as the whole situation is ridicilous

OP posts:
EleanorReally · 27/04/2025 09:01

i guess nhs cut backs have, cut back

Octavia64 · 27/04/2025 09:02

GPS can prescribe but are often reluctant to.
we had terrible problems getting medication for my DD.

FartyAnimal · 27/04/2025 09:03

Hi - lots of schools do a thing called C card - any student can request one. The do some sexual health training, then can get condoms whenever they want.

TimeForABreak4 · 27/04/2025 09:03

My youngest dd went to the pharmacy and got prescribed the pill. My eldest has had the coil twice (body expelled them) the implant and the pill from the Doctors. We are in Scotland and it's easy to access contraception. I believe you can also get the morning after pill from the pharmacist also.

DenholmElliot11 · 27/04/2025 09:05

I'm sorry your DD is having delays getting contraception and hope she gets sorted soon.

The reason the teenage pregnancy rates have fallen is because teenagers don't go out and mix and socialise and get drunk in the pub as much as they used to.

toomuchfaff · 27/04/2025 09:28

Near us it's the sexual health clinic, but they are only on one Wednesday a month 6pm to 8pm, and you can only ring them for an appointment when they are open - but the site doesn't say WHICH Wednesday it is on... so to get an appointment you've got to ring every week until someone picks up... then God knows how long for an appointment

ambercabs · 27/04/2025 09:31

I did an econsult for mine when she was 13 and it was prescribed the next day. No appointment needed, for repeats all I have to do is check her BP.

Does your surgery not have this? Why are you phoning and asking a receptionist if your DD will definitely get a prescription? They don’t know this and neither should they. Get your late teen (so adult?) DD to book herself a GP appointment.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/04/2025 09:31

Sexual health clinic round here, maybe the receptionist didn’t realise (and I agree she should have that info). Here you google it, sexual health clinic comes up and you book with them. Which tbf is usually a really easy way for teens to find because they google everything.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/04/2025 09:32

ambercabs · 27/04/2025 09:31

I did an econsult for mine when she was 13 and it was prescribed the next day. No appointment needed, for repeats all I have to do is check her BP.

Does your surgery not have this? Why are you phoning and asking a receptionist if your DD will definitely get a prescription? They don’t know this and neither should they. Get your late teen (so adult?) DD to book herself a GP appointment.

Out of interested how do you check her BP? Just go to a pharmacist every time?

sashh · 27/04/2025 09:47

Agix · 27/04/2025 08:48

It's not that difficult to go and buy condoms at the shop.

It can be slightly more difficult to get prescribed long term medication that will completely alter how your hormones work, and carry real risks depending on your physiology and lifestyle.

If your daughter needs extra checks for the pills, there's going to be a reason. Overweight? Smoke? Drink? Family history of health conditions? No idea, and maybe you don't really know either.

Or, she just went to the wrong place to begin with and made it harder for herself. It's only 10 days.

Tell her to grab some condoms at the shop.

As compared to a split condom and pregnancy that will completely alter how her hormones work, and carry real risks depending on your physiology and lifestyle.

1 in 1000 pregnancies result in the mother developing a cardiomyopathy.

OP in some places there are specific services for teens.

Put your postcode in and it gives a list of places that offer contraceptive services for teens.

www.nhs.uk/service-search/sexual-health-services/find-young-peoples-sexual-health-services

ambercabs · 27/04/2025 09:49

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/04/2025 09:32

Out of interested how do you check her BP? Just go to a pharmacist every time?

Show quote history

I have a BP monitor at home, so I do it myself.

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