Period Delay Treatment for Holidays Update

Changes to Our Service

We no longer prescribe medication to delay periods for holidays, special occasions or other non-medical reasons.

If you would like treatment to delay your period, you can obtain this from many private pharmacy services, either online or through some local pharmacies. The pharmacy will assess whether the treatment is suitable for you before supplying it.

Why can’t I have this now when I’ve had it before?

We regularly review the services we provide to make sure our clinical time and resources are used in the best way to provide the best possible care for all patients. 

Period delay treatment for holidays can usually be provided safely by pharmacy services. For this reason, we no longer offer this treatment, even if you have received it from us in the past.

Services and prescribing policies can change over time, so previous access to a treatment does not mean it will always be available from the same provider.

I get free prescriptions. Why do I now have to pay?

We understand that some patients are entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

However, period delay treatment for holidays is no longer prescribed through our service. Patients who wish to access this treatment will need to obtain it through a private pharmacy service, which may charge for both the consultation and the medication.

Being entitled to free NHS prescriptions does not mean that all treatments must be provided through NHS-funded prescribing services.

I’m about to go away and can’t get the medication from an online pharmacy in time

We understand that travel plans can sometimes be made at short notice. However, period delay treatment is no longer provided through our service and we are unable to make exceptions. 

If you would still like treatment, we recommend contacting a community or online pharmacy promptly, as some providers may be able to offer same-day or next-day consultations and supply.

Where can I get period delay treatment?

Period delay treatment is available from many community and online pharmacies.

You may wish to contact your local pharmacy or use a UK-registered online pharmacy service. Examples include Superdrug Online Doctor, Boots Online Doctor and Pharmacy2U. These examples are provided for information only and do not represent an endorsement of any particular provider.