Government announces extended contraceptive pill prescriptions from July 1

Women aged 16 to 50 will be able to get a two-year supply of the pill with just one script from July 1, an increase from the usual 12-month prescription.

The rollout bears some limitations, acting as a resupply for those with an active prescription who have already been on the same pill for two years consistently.

Pharmacists cannot change the type of OCP prescribed and people will still need to see their GP every two years for assessment and re-prescribing.

The Pharmacy Guild of Tasmania president Helen O'Byrne said the organisation welcomed the announcement.

"This is a great step forward for us as pharmacists and also for women in Tasmania who really do struggle to get to their GP," she said.

"This means that if somebody has been on the pill for two years, we can sit with them, do a consultation and write a prescription for a further 12-month resupply of the oral contraceptive pill."

"It's only a resupply at this point. In the future we're hoping to open it up to continuous supply."

Minister for Health Guy Barnett said approximately 300 women would benefit from this change every week.

"It will allow women the convenience and ability to access that oral contraception quickly and easily," he said.

"This is another common-sense reform our government has progressed to allow community pharmacies to deliver more services, helping to ease pressure on general practitioners and hospitals."

Liberal Member for Rosevears Jo Palmer said this was a great outcome for Tasmanian women.

"By our rough estimations, it's going to take over 3000 appointments from GPs out of our primary healthcare system and have it here in our pharmacies," she said.

"We are always looking at ways that we can not only make healthcare more cost effective for women, but more convenient for them as well."