Sexual Health Service
EHC
The national rollout of the Sexual Health service has allowed all pharmacies in Ayrshire and Arran who wish to volunteer to supply EHC, to do so by writing a CPUS under the PGD. NHS Ayrshire and Arran pharmacists should add the code 999A5 in place of the GP code, on the CPUS.
Pharmacists wishing to participate in the service should read and understand the new PGD. They should then sign and return the PGD Agreement to Cheryl Fleming, Pharmacy and Prescribing Team, Eglinton House, Ailsa Hospital, Dalmellington Road, Ayr KA6 6AB
The new PGD for Levonorgestrel 1500 micrograms has necessitated the revision of the existing NHSAA Patient Assessment Proforma and Flowchart. NHS Ayrshire and Arran suggest pharmacists use the enclosed new Proforma and Flowchart as a guide to the steps involved in the provision of the new service. Completion of the Proforma is not a requirement under the service but we believe it assists the pharmacist in making judgements on whether a supply should be made.
Pharmacists who will be embarking on providing an EHC service for the first time under the new national scheme can do so immediately if they feel competent to do so after reading the PGD.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran have provided training on Sexual Health and Child Protection to support the rollout of the services.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran are keen to recommend the NES packs on EHC, Sexual Health and Child Protection in the short term if contractors are keen to support their CPD
Chlamydia Testing and Treatment
The national rollout of the Sexual Health service has allowed all pharmacies in Ayrshire and Arran who volunteer to supply Azithromycin for patients diagnosed with Chlamydia.
To facilitate this extension Ayrshire and Arran have adopted the national Patient Group Direction (PGD) for Azithromycin.
Pharmacists wishing to participate in the service should read and understand the new PGD. They should then sign and return the PGD Agreement to Cheryl Fleming at Eglinton House.
The new PGD for Azithromycin has necessitated the revision of the existing NHS AA Patient Assessment Proforma and Flowchart. NHS Ayrshire and Arran suggest pharmacists use the enclosed new Proforma and Flowchart as a guide to the steps involved in the provision of the new service. Completion of the Proforma is not a requirement under the service but we believe it assists the pharmacist in making judgements on whether a supply should be made.
Patients who indicate they wish to be tested should be supplied with a urine sample bottle. Patients will be expected to take the urine sample bottle home, obtain a urine sample and return the sample to the pharmacy. Pharmacists will complete the paperwork in the kit accurately, package the sample and post the completed kit to the Laboratory.
Positive and negative results will be received by the pharmacist for follow up. Providing only the urine sample bottle to patients in the first instance minimises wastage of kits. Accurate completion of the paperwork and proper packaging of the sample maximises the likelihood of Laboratory interpretation and return of results. It will still be possible to give patients the full testing kit if necessary, but pharmacists should ensure that patients understand how to complete the laboratory paperwork to enable reporting of the result and treatment for Chlamydia where the test is positive.
Pharmacists who will be embarking on providing an Chlamydia Testing and Treatment service for the first time under the new national scheme can do so immediately if they feel competent to do so after reading the PGD.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran have provided training on Sexual Health and Child Protection to support the rollout of the service.
Smoking Cessation
All community pharmacies in NHS Ayrshire and Arran have indicated they will be providing the smoking cessation service as outline in NHS Circular PCA(P)(2008)17. Pharmacists should continue to utilise the locally designed National Minimum Dataset form. This must be submitted to Fresh Airshire in line with the appropriate timescales.
Prescribing of Nicotine Replacement Therapy should now be on CPUS Forms, unless as part of the supply service through the Fresh Airshire vouchers scheme. Arrangements for the voucher scheme remain as they were prior to the national service coming in to place, but a review is currently underway. NHS Ayrshire and Arran pharmacists should add the code 999A5 in place of the GP code, on the CPUS .
Where a patient is not motivated to quit you should continue to refer that patient to Fresh Airshire (Telephone 0800 782 9132).