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Chlamydia Screening Programme

Description Screening programme for genital Chlamydia infection
Setting Family planning and genitourinary medicine clinics, youth centres, colleges and military barracks
Populationting Sexually active 15 to 24 year olds
Intervention summary 71 sites offering opportunistic Chlamydia screening to 15 to 24 year olds
Outcome Summary 1471 people screened; 134 have been tested positive
Startup Cost £30 156 to furnish offices, employ staff, equip staff and start the programme
Running Cost £103 556 increasing to £183 028 over as targets increase
Funding The local Strategic Health Authority procured funding from the Department of Health and asked all Primary Care Trusts to invest part of their LDP allocations.
Started 1 April 2006
Ended 31 March 2008
Location West Kent, Kent, England
Contact
  • Name: Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, director
  • Address: Kent Health Protection Unit Preston Hall, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7NJ
  • Telephone: 01622 713157
  • Email: mathibalasingham.chandrakumar@maidstonewealdpct.nhs.uk

    • Background

    The Chlamydia Screening Programme in West Kent is part of a national opportunistic screening programme for genital Chlamydia infection.

    What is the problem you are trying to solve?

    We are aiming to reduce the high incidence of Chlamydia infection. The overall rate of Chlamydia infection across England is 1:10 in the 15 to 24 year old age group.

    What local organisations are involved?

    We work with the NHS in family planning settings, young persons’ clinics, genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics and public health laboratories.

    How many people are running this project and who are they?

    Katie Morgan, Chlamydia screening coordinator/team leader

    Wendy Smith, Chlamydia screening coordinator

    Loretta Cleary, Chlamydia screening administrator

    What local population are you targeting?

    We are targeting sexually active 15 to 24 year olds.

    How many people are you targeting?

    The local delivery plan target set by the Department of Health requires that 15% of the total population aged 15-24 within each Primary Care Trust (PCT) need to be screened during 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.

    Interventions

    What interventions are you using to address the problem?

    Currently we have 71 sites made up of Family Planning, young person's clinics, GPs, youth centres, colleges, a secure training unit and military barracks across West Kent, all offering opportunistic Chlamydia screening to 15 to 24 year old males and females.

    The Chlamydia screening office is responsible for informing clients of their results, and signposting individuals for treatment.

    Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.

    Yes, the Department of Health’s Chlamydia Screening Pilot 1 and The National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV 2 .

    Outcome

    What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?

    We are measuring the percentage of clients who are tested positive.

    Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?

    Identification of Chlamydia infection reduces the incidence of gynaecological problems like pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancies and infertility. We have so far screened 1471 people, of which 134 have tested positive.

    Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?

    Yes, the government's white paper, Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier 3 .

    Feedback

    What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?

    • Introducing the Chlamydia Screening Programme to already overstretched services.
    • Initial cost of treatment to PCT.
    • No Local Enhanced Service for GPs to encourage Chlamydia screening.
    • No advertising budget.
    • No budget for postal kits.
    • Lack of robust database.

    What have you learned about the project so far?

    Funding should include money for drugs, IT systems and advertising campaigns.

    What would you do differently?

    An outreach function in order to better understand the complexities of the role of Chlamydia Screening coordinators would have been helpful.

    References:

    1. Department of Health. Better prevention, better services, better sexual health - The national strategy for sexual health and HIV. 2001. http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/05/89/45/04058945.pdf (accessed 13 April 2007).
    2. Department of Health. A pilot study of opportunistic screening for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in England (1999-2000): Summary Report. 2002. http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/07/44/99/04074499.pdf (accessed 13 April 2007).
    3. Department of Health. Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier. 2004. www.dh.gov.uk (search for 4135, accessed 13 April 2007).