Emergency hormonal contraceptive pill (EHC)
What is the emergency hormonal contraceptive pill?
The effectiveness of the emergency contraceptive pill decreases over time. If it is taken within 24 hours of having unprotected sex it prevents 95% of pregnancies. It is important to make contact with our service or a pharmacy (see below) as soon as possible.
There are two types of EHC pill:
Ulipristal Acetate (also known as EllaOne)
Ulipristal Acetate can be taken up to five days (120 hours) after having unprotected sex.
Levonorgestel (also known as Levonelle)
Levonorgestel is the most commonly used. It can be taken up to three days (72 hours) after having unprotected sex.
The effectiveness of Levonelle decreases over time. If it is taken within 24 hours of having unprotected sex it prevents 95% of pregnancies.
Availability
Our Service
We offer free emergency contraception for all ages. We are a confidential service and you can easily book a telephone appointment by calling us on 01903 285199.
Our staff are experienced and will provide you with the necessary information and guidance to make sure that you have access to the right emergency contraception.
If you have any questions, please call us on the number provided.
Pharmacies
We want to make sure you have access to the resources you need. Across the county, several pharmacies are offering free emergency contraception for people aged 13 – 21 and with a small charge for people aged over 21.
Pharmacies offering emergency contraception in West Sussex (updated July 2023):
- Dexters Pharmacy (Ceepharm Ltd) 7 Water Tower Buildings, London RdBognorPO21 1PN 01243 821488
- Hopkins Pharmacy 29 Station Rd, Burgess Hill RH15 9DE 01444 233277
- Kamsons 13 A Eastgate Square Chichester PO19 1JL 01243 782194
- Stephens Chichester 7 The Ridgeway, Sherbourne Road, Parklands Chichester PO19 3LA 01243 782695
- Crawley Chemists 14 Haslett Avenue Crawley RH10 1HS 01293 522160
- Kamsons 12-14 Broadfield Barton Crawley RH11 9BA 01293 535000
- Kamsons 9 Tilgate ParadeCrawley RH10 5EQ 01293 525495
- Manning Pharmacy 9 Dorsten Square, BewbushCrawley RH11 8XW 01293 517346
- Lloyds Moatfield Surgery, St Michaels RdEast Grinstead RH19 3GW 01342 322239
- Lloyds 19-21 Sea Road East Preston BN16 1JN 01903 782092
- Kamsons 38 Larch Way Hawards Heath RH16 3TY 01444 453280
- Gill Pharmacy 45 South Street Lancing BN15 8AN 01903 752191
- Glyn Norris Littlehampton 1 Wick Parade, Wick Street Littlehampton BN17 7JQ 01903 715891
- Midhurst Pharmacy Whitorne House, North St Midhurst GU29 9DH 01730 813231
- Greens Pharmacy 1-3 St. Mary’s Rd Shoreham BN43 5ZA 01273 464139
- Cokeham Pharmacy 2-3 Inglecroft Crt, Cokeham Rd Sompting BN15 0AN 01903 753454
- Kamsons 6 Southwick Square Southwick BN42 2FB 01273 593349
- Paydens Steyning Health Centre, Tanyard Lane, Steyning BN44 3RJ 01903 815615
- Lloyds 1 North Street, Storrington RH20 4DH 01903 742313
- Kamsons 22-24 Broadwater Street West Worthing BN14 9DA 01903 201670
- Lime Tree Pharmacy, Lime Tree Avenue, Worthing BN14 0DL 01903 694143
- McCormick Chemist 6-10 Rectory Road, Tarring, Worthing BN14 7PA 01903 202457
- Paydens 3-4 Broadwater BoulevardWorthing BN14 8JE 01903 201331
- Paydens 56 Teville RoadWorthing BN11 1UY 01903 202746
Alternatively, use the link below to search for a pharmacy near you. We do strongly advise contacting the pharmacy prior to embarking on your journey to see if they still offer this service and what their policy is regarding availability.
Link: Find a Pharmacy near you
We hope this information is helpful and that you can find a nearby pharmacy that provides this service. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01903 285199