| Dear Colleague |
| Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Strategic Planning and Performance Group. |
SUMMARY
- The service will ensure that women and young people aged 13 years and over have timely access to sexual health advice and free EHC (including the provision of bridging contraception) when clinically indicated.
- The aims of the service include:
- Increasing the knowledge, especially amongst younger women, of the availability of EHC and bridging hormonal contraception from community pharmacies.
- Ensuring treatment is in line with best practice and NI Formulary.
- Increasing the knowledge of risks such as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
- All pharmacists planning to deliver this service must undertake training necessary to meet the competency required to provide the service, this may include revision of training already undertaken earlier this year. Training details are available HERE.
- The pharmacy contractor is responsible for ensuring that the service is delivered in line with the service specification and guidance by suitably trained pharmacists. The following resources are available to support service delivery:
- A3 and A4 printed copies of the service poster will be distributed to pharmacies along with a supply of the KYO patient leaflets.
- An on-line survey for service users will be set-up to assist with the evaluation process. SPPG will provide pharmacists with a QR code to share with service users to complete the on-line survey approximately 3 months following service launch and periodically thereafter.
ACTION
- Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
- All pharmacists planning to deliver this service must undertake training necessary to meet the competency required to provide the service, this may include revision of training already undertaken earlier this year. Training details are available HERE.
- All community pharmacy contractors meeting the service specification are eligible to offer the service provided they hold a contract with the SPPG. A signed copy should be returned to your local integrated care office by email by Friday 22 July 2022.
- After this date the list of providers will be shared with GP practices, GP OOH services and Trusts to enable referrals to participating pharmacies.
- SPPG have requested that Contractors do not return a contract at this stage if your pharmacy is not in a position to offer the service. A contract should only be returned when your pharmacy is ready to provide the service; the list of providers will be refreshed in early September 2022 and re-issued.
- Pharmacies may wish to promote the service on social media using the Twitter and Instagram resources.
- If you have any queries please contact a Pharmacy Advisor at your local SPPG office.
- Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Kind regards
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
