Partnership working: the key to improving access to a more holistic sexual
health service in South London
J.Evans (1), P. Baraitser (2), L. Bacon (1), B. Taylor (3)
Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Lewisham Primary Care Trust,
UK (1); Department of Public Health, Lewisham Southwark and Lambeth Strategic
Health Authority, UK (2); Community Services Pharmacy Team, Southwark Primary
Care Trust, UK (3)
Introduction: Lewisham has an ethnically diverse population with
significant levels of deprivation and very high rates of fertility, abortion and
sexually transmitted infections (STI).
Aim and Methods: To examine the effect of partnership working on three
recent local initiatives designed to improve access to a more holistic sexual
health service. 1. Improving access to community sexual health services by young
people. In 1999 Waldron family planning clinic (FPC) in Deptford extended its
opening hours and adopted an open access ‘‘walk-in’’ system. This was
combined with a targeted outreach programme, which included developing close
links between the clinic and local schools, youth services, social services and
voluntary sector organisations. 2. Improving access to Emergency Hormonal
Contraception (EHC) by making it available through community pharmacies. In 2000
pharmacists in Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth, working with the Health Action
Zone (HAZ) and the local community sexual health department, were one of the
first services to supply EHC under patient group directions. 3. Improving access
to STI treatment by providing a community based service for the management of
uncomplicated genital infections. In 2001 Lewisham Primary Care Trust (PCT)
supported the development of the existing STI testing service in Lewisham FPCs
to include treatment and client led partner notification.
Results: 1. Improving access to community sexual health services by
young people. The number of new clients under 16 years increased by 12 fold in
the first 18 months. The number of young people citing a school education class
as their source of information about the clinics increased by more than 5 fold.
2. Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) provision by local pharmacists. 4,164
women were supplied with EHC in 2002/3 and 98% of service users indicated that
they were satisfied with the manner in which the pharmacist dealt with their
enquiry. Over 70% of women accessed the pharmacy service within 24 hours of
unprotected intercourse, significantly higher than equivalent figures from
General Practice or FP services. 3. Providing a community based service for the
management of uncomplicated genital infections. In 2001/2 Lewisham FPCs treated
648 STI. At Waldron FPC the incidence of chlamydia in the population tested rose
from 6.9% to 10.3%. 84% of clients with chlamydia received treatment compared to
52% when clients had to be referred to genitourinary medicine clinics (GUM). The
median time from test to treatment fell to 14 days from 19 days when clients had
to attend GUM for treatment.
Conclusion: Partnership working amongst local stakeholders is key to
developing an easily accessible, innovative, high quality and ultimately more
holistic sexual health service in Lewisham.
