Finally, more than forty years after their introduction, women can now obtain oral contraceptives without requiring the approval of their GP or Family Planning clinic.

I'd like to see most drugs available over the counter. The 'safety' issues are almost always overstated. A woman is more likely to die at the hands of a partner than from the side effects of taking the pill. And in any case, over 4,000 people die every year from taking simple, widely available over the counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen.

After my recent run-in with my new GP I've decided that the NHS can go fuck itself and I've chosen to buy all my meds from an online pharmacy in future. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it, but it's money well spent if it means I won't have to sit and listen to some ill-informed, patronising twat of a GP every few weeks.

Contraceptive Pill to be available without doctor's prescription

Women will not be able to buy the Pill off the shelf like paracetamol but will have to go through a face to face consultation with a suitably qualified pharmacist before being issued with the hormonal contraceptives.

Currently women have a prescription written by a GP or family planning doctor who takes blood pressure and a medical history and then a pharmacist dispenses the tablets.