Services Database Sexual Health Service

The sexual health service consists of:

The supply of emergency hormonal contraception

Aims and Objections:
The aim of this service is to provide, free of charge, access to Emergency Hormonal
Contraception that can prevent pregnancy after unprotecting sexual intercourse or if
a contraception method has failed. The sooner the emergency contraception is
taken, the more effective it will be in preventing an unintended pregnancy. The service will contribute to a reduction in the number of unintended pregnancies by improving access to EHC and sexual health advice to women of all ages in community pharmacies across the whole of Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screening

Aims and Objections:
The aim of the service is to provide free of charge screening kits of otherwise asymptomatic individuals when they present at a pharmacy setting for other reasons and/or required screening kits in response to local promotion amongst professionals and advertising. The service will increase uptake of screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea by young people who have had unprotected sex, and/or a new partner, and thus help facilitate early detection and treatment of asymptomatic infection, reducing onward transmission and the consequences of untreated infections.
Note: Dual self-testing kits will be provided by integrated sexual health services, which includes microbiology, management of results and partner notification

Chlamydia treatment

Aims and Objections:
The aim of this service is to provide treatment of asymptomatic infection, reducing
transmission and the consequences of untreated infections.
Objectives include:
a) Increased access to treatment of asymptomatic patients with chlamydia and
gonorrhoea in infection in pharmacies with coverage across all areas of Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin
b) Reaching sexually active young people who do not use integrated sexual health
services
c) Reducing the burden on secondary care services by diagnosing chlamydia and gonorrhoea infection and treating chlamydia infections in the community
d) Increasing early detection of chlamydia and gonorrhoea and treatment of chlamydia, and therefore reducing transmission and complications associated with these infections.

Pregnancy Testing
Aims and Objections:
The aim of this service is to provide free of charge pregnancy testing to vulnerable
young women across Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin. Outcomes include:
a) To reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies
b) To make free pregnancy testing available to vulnerable cohorts
c) To provide access to pregnancy tests for young people and other women who may be at a greater risk of unplanned pregnancy where financial access to testing may be a barrier to gaining support

Condom Distribution (c-card) engagement

Aims and Objections:
The aim of this service is to improve access to free condoms to under 25 years olds.
Objectives include:
a) Increasing access to condoms through pharmacies with coverage across all areas of Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin
b) Reducing the risk of STIs amongst young people
c) Reducing the risk of unintended pregnancies

The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service have the relevant knowledge and are appropriately trained in the operation of the service.

For provision of any of the sexual health services, the accredited pharmacists delivering the service will:

• have completed the CPPE distance learning pack on Safeguarding; and
• Be expected to attend safeguarding training and other relevant training events organised by the LA or the LPC.

Additionally, for provision of the EHC service, the accredited pharmacists delivering the service will have:

• passed the CPPE e-assessment “Emergency Hormonal Contraception” or “Emergency Contraception”. The CPPE e-learning Emergency Contraception can be used to support pharmacists preparing for this e-assessment;
• read the PGDs for levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate;
• additionally - to provide ulipristal acetate 30mg , pharmacists must have completed the EHC e-assessment which covered supply of ulipristal acetate (as introduced in 2013); and
• pharmacists may wish to complete the CPPE e-learning “Dealing with Difficult Discussions” to aid them in delivering sexual health services.

Additionally, for provision of the chlamydia treatment service, the accredited pharmacists delivering the service will have:

• completed the downloadable CPPE open learning “Sexual Health in Pharmacies”; and
• read the PGD for azithromycin.