New approaches to sexual health services in a rural health board area: involving service users and primary care professionals

Abstract

Research was undertaken to inform the future development of sexual health services for the population of a rural health board. Three separate surveys were carried out: (i) users of local and regional genitourinary medicine (GUM) services, (ii) users of local family planning clinics, and (iii) all local general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses - to obtain views on current sexual health services and the optimum future configuration of services. Respondents to the GUM survey (n = 137) attended GUM service for a range of sexual health reasons; confidentiality was the most important factor affecting choice of service provider and almost half (44%) would have been happy to receive the service from their GP. Family planning clinic respondents (n = 298) attended clinics for a range of reasons; confidentiality was the most important factor affecting choice of service provider and less than one-third (29%) would attend their GP for a similar service. Both GUM and family planning clinic survey respondents supported the development of clinics providing a broad range of sexual health services. Almost all (97%) GP respondents in the primary care professionals survey saw patients for sexual healthrelated consultations; over half (54%) treated sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Significant training needs in sexual health were identified for primary care professionals. New models for the provision of sexual health services are proposed for this health board area.