Chlamydia and sexual health screening

Community pharmacy teams have a significant role in chlamydia prevention and treatment. Pharmacies are accessible and conveniently located, and pharmacy teams are therefore well placed to deliver a number of sexual health services and interventions including chlamydia screening and treatment.

Some pharmacies are commissioned to offer NHS chlamydia testing and treatment service supporting  timely detection and treatment of infection, and prevent onward transmission and subsequent healthcare costs.

The aims of the service is to: 

• increase access to the chlamydia screening programme by providing additional locations where people can access screening;
• increase access for  people to sexual health advice and referral on to specialist sexual health services where required; and
• increase clients’ knowledge of the risks associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Some statements are regularly quoted by patients whom have used the Chlamydia Screening Service such as:  

• I didn’t want to go to my doctor’s and have all the hassle of making an appointment and being questioned.
• Collecting a pack from the pharmacy was easy and discreet and no hassle as I just called in at the weekend.
• I’m surprised it’s a positive test but am glad that I found out early.
• Probably wouldn’t have bothered having a test if I’d have had to take time off work to go to a clinic.

Potential benefits of a community pharmacy Test and Treat service include:

•  Accessibility and convenience. Community pharmacies are located close to people’s homes, work and educational institutions, making them convenient locations for young people to get to. According to The NHS England 10 year plan "Overall 89.2% of the population are estimated to have access to a community pharmacy within a 20-minute walk". Many pharmacies are also open late in the evening and at weekends making them an accessible location for young people to reach.
• Already using the pharmacy.  Already using other pharmacy services e.g. to purchase condoms, collect their contraceptive medicines or to request emergency hormonal contraception (EHC). This therefore, gives pharmacy teams opportunities to highlight and recruit young people into using the chlamydia screening service.
• Patient choice. By commissioning a community pharmacy chlamydia screening and treatment service, young people are given more choice as to where they can go for screening and treatment. The pharmacy setting also provides a more informal environment, which some young people may find less intimidating than a GP practice or a sexual health clinic.
• Anonymous environment. Since there is no need to be registered or book an appointment at a pharmacy (unlike a GP practice) young people can visit any pharmacy they choose to collect a testing kit providing them with a more discreet and anonymous option to obtain a testing kit.

There is also some very useful information (and resource links) explaining how to set up a sexual health service including a Chlamydia Screening service on Numarknet. The link can be found at Numark Sexual Health Services

Linking in with sexual health there is also some very useful information explaining how to set up a Pregnancy testing  service on Numarknet. The document can be found at Numark pregnancy service

Within this link there are also product links to various Numark pregnancy related products e.g. Rapid and Early pregnancy detection tests along with Ovulation test kits which could all be utilised as a relevant link selling opportunity. After all many patients may not want to test in the pharmacy but would rather test in the comfort and discretion of their own home.