The Sandyford Initiative Sexual and Reproductive Health Service, Glasgow telephone helpline: improving access to sexual and reproductive health services

The Sandyford Initiative Sexual and Reproductive Health Service, Glasgow

telephone helpline: improving access to sexual and reproductive health services

A. Spiers (1), M. Stewart

The Sandyford Initiative, Glasgow, UK

Introduction: Funding was allocated in the 2000/01 Health Improvement

Programme budget to provide a dedicated telephone helpline for healthcare

professionals to support sexual and reproductive health management in community

settings. Previously all client and professional calls were taken randomly by

clinicians working in busy clinics. Because of the volume of calls this led to

delays in clients attending the clinic being seen.

Method: The project was piloted in one Local Healthcare Co-operative

before the service was implemented to all healthcare providers in Glasgow.

Subscribers were actively recruited by providing initial information about the

new service with an invitation to subscribe and participate in the evaluation of

the service by completing a survey or taking part in short 1-1 interviews.

Subscribers consisted of General Practitioners, practice/hospital nurses, health

visitors, midwives, social workers, carers and support workers, children’s

support workers and pharmacists.

Results: 60% of subscribers returned the survey. 3 participated in

interviews. Preliminary evaluation showed that subscribers were comfortable with

specialist nurses dealing with enquiries, almost all enquiries were dealt with

immediately, rapid return of call if medical advice was required and

satisfaction with ability to provide rapid referral for clients with most

problems. Many professionals felt that a dedicated client helpline would be

valuable. Training needs for helpline staff would have to be met.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated the value of a dedicated

telephone helpline for professionals. In response to demand further funding was

sought to expand the helpline to enable it to provide immediate access for

clients, as well as professionals, to evidence based information, advice and

counselling on all aspects of sexual, reproductive and emotional health. Clients

would also be able to access test results. Today the helpline is staffed

weekdays, business hours, by a team of trained, experienced nurses who receive

around 900 calls per month. Approximately 40% of total calls are for test

results.

Scroll to Top