The guidance focuses on helping disadvantaged young people under the age of 25, such as teenage parents, young people living in deprived areas, minority ethic groups and young offenders.
The draft recommendations include establishing collaborative "evidence-based" commissioning arrangements between primary care trusts to provide contraception and sexual health services for young people at convenient, accessible locations such as city centres, colleges and schools.
The guidance also recommends that doctors, nurses and pharmacists should, where possible, provide the full range of contraceptive methods.
Other proposals outlined in the guidance include:
- additional support for disadvantaged young people to enable them to gain access to contraceptive services without delay, such as interpreters, one-to-one advice, facilities for people with physical and sensory disabilities, and assistance for those with learning disabilities
- ensure all young women are able to obtain free emergency hormonal contraception, including advance provision
- ensure young men and women know where to obtain free advance provision of emergency hormonal contraception
- all young women who obtain emergency hormonal contraception should be offered clear information about, and referral to, contraception and sexual health services.
Penny Barber, chief executive of Brook in Birmingham and a member of the NICE programme development group, said: "We know emergency contraception is more effective the sooner you use it after sex so it's crucial young women have it on hand in case they need it. Evidence demonstrates that making emergency contraception available in advance does not change the amount of sex young people have."
Comments on the guidance should be submitted via the website by 23 June 2010. Final guidance is expected to be available in October 2010.
