New sexual health centralised booking service

Ian Smith, senior nurse and clinic manager, Caroline Robinson. health advisor and nurse practitioner, Dr Helen Lacey, consultant GUM physician, and Michala Geldard, health advisor and nurse practitioner

A new centralised booking service for people needing sexual health appointments in Rochdale is now up and running.

The £500,000 scheme will see improved and quicker access to Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) services for patients in Rochdale, as well as those in Bury, Heywood, Middleton, North Manchester and Oldham.

The new phone number – 0161 627 8753 – is part of a new system that sees all four GUM clinics currently provided by Pennine Acute Trust, which also runs the hospitals in Bury, North Manchester and Oldham, being linked through a central booking system. It is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the country.

Funded by the local primary trusts (Bury; Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale; Manchester; and Oldham) the scheme is playing a key role in helping the GUM service to meet the Department of Health’s access target that by 2008 no patient will wait more than 48 hours for GUM services. 

Dr Helen Lacey, sexual health consultant and the Trust’s clinical lead, said: “The new phone line and extra clinics have been up and running for a few months now and we’re pleased to say that there has already been a massive improvement. By the end of June, we were offering 98% of people appointments within the target compared to February when only 40% of patients were being offered appointments within 48 hours.”

The regional average for the North West was 56 per cent for last year (2005-05) and for February 2007 it was 64 per cent. 

Dr Lacey added: “The 48 hour access target is challenging but we’re determined to play our part in meeting it. To do this, we’ve expanded and brought together the services across Pennine, making them accessible to all patients. 

“What this means now is that for example, if a patient in Rochdale needs an urgent appointment and none are available in the next 48 hours but there is one at North Manchester, then this will be offered to them. The only reason we can do this is because of the way Pennine is set up; it’s something that gives us an advantage over many other areas of the country.”

The new system also allows staff to direct patients to the new screening clinics that have been specifically designed for patients with no symptoms but who request a check up.

The introduction of new laboratory technology has enabled the Trust to develop a new model of fast track screening clinics run by nurses. These new clinics also free up more appointments for patients who have complex needs and need to be seen by doctors and specialist nurses.

Dr Lacey said: “People can call the number between 8.30am to 6.00pm and make an appointment appropriate to their needs at any of our four specialist sexual health clinics. The quality of all services will remain underpinned by GUM consultant staff.”