Services Database Screen & Treat Service for Chlamydia (Camden Area)

The service will be offered to young people who are:

• asymptomatic (symptomatic people or partners of those who have tested positive to be referred to appropriate service by pharmacist);
• aged 13 – 24 for screening;
• and will be aged 16 – 24 for treatment. Those aged 13 -15 will be signposted on to the appropriate services for treatment, where other factors may be discussed and explored.

Those meeting the criteria for the screening service will be given a kit to take away which comprises of a urine sample kit for men and for women the option of a self-swab kit or a urine sample kit. The kit also contains a request form which must be completed by the client, aided by the pharmacist if necessary, before sending via freepost in the envelope to the lab for testing. The request form includes a section for the young person to state how s/he wants to receive the result, by text, phone or letter.

If the the client tests positive and plans to return to a pharmacy for treatment, the Chlamydia Office will follow up the telephone call with a text message or letter to confirm the result, which the client presents to the pharmacy in order to access treatment.

The client will then present either the letter or text message from the Chlamydia Office to the pharmacist, who will verify that the message matches the Chlamydia Office telephone number. The pharmacist will then dispense treatment in accordance with the PGD, recording details of treatment given on the Service Delivery Form.

Partners will be signposted on to other sexual health services for screening and treatment. This will be done by the Chlamydia Office via telephone, or if the partner visits the pharmacy, they should be signposted in the usual way by the pharmacist.

Pharmacists must have completed the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education's (CPPE's) open learning packs for ‘Sexual Health: testing and treating’ and ‘Dealing with difficult discussions’.

Pharmacists must also have attended the training programme delivered by the Commissioner, which will include child protection, partner notification and sexual health promotion, condom distribution, sexual health history, the Patient Group Directions and operational process.