£500,000 boost to sexual health services

A new £500,000 scheme that will see improved and quicker access to GUM (Genito Urinary Medicine) services for patients across Bury, Heywood, Middleton, North Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale has been given the green light.

The new system – due to go operational in spring 2007 – is believed to be one the first of its kind in the country and will see all four clinics currently provided by Pennine Acute Trust being linked through a central booking system.

Funded by the local primary trusts (Bury; Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale; North Manchester; and Oldham) the scheme will play a key role in helping the service to meet the Department of Health access time 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 48 hour access target is challenging but we’re determined to play our part in meeting it. The Greater Manchester wide Sexual Health Network, which Pennine Acute Trust is part of, estimates that a 30-50 per cent increase in activity is required to meet the target. To do this, we’re expanding and bringing together the services across Pennine, making them accessible to all patients.

 
“So 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 development of a confidential centralised booking service for the four Pennine GUM clinics enables the Trust to maximise the use of available capacity across all the sites. The new system will also let staff direct patients to the new screening clinics that have been specifically designed for patients with no symptoms but who request a check up.

New technology now enables screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea on non-invasive samples, allowing Pennine to develop a new model of fast track screening clinics run by nurses. These new clinics will free up more appointments for patients who have complex needs and need to be seen by doctors and specialist nurses.

Dr Lacey added: “Most patients self-refer to GUM services so by offering this new service we will be better able to allocate them faster appointments to a service appropriate to their needs. The quality of all services will remain underpinned by GUM consultant staff.” 

The Trust has recently begun the process of recruiting new staff to the service.