Sexual health

Pharmacists around the country have been involved in a variety of contraception services. This event will help pharmacists, pre-registration trainees and pharmacy technicians to prepare themselves to run the particular service planned for their area.

Learning Objectives:

• explain the different types and methods of hormonal and nonhormonal contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), their use, advantages, failure rates and complications
• take a detailed medical history that includes a minimum of blood pressure measurement, body mass index (BMI) calculation, age, smoking status, family medical history, current medical conditions and previous/current medicines history
• assess suitability of oral contraception for clients, compared with other methods, and tailor provision of medication from a patient group direction (PGD) list of medicines, and in accordance with the needs of individual clients
• provide information and guidance to allow a client to make an informed choice as to the most appropriate form of contraception
• counsel and advise on regular methods of contraception, emergency contraception and safer sex
• communicate with clients appropriately and sensitively, including respecting the process of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
• support your pharmacy team in the delivery of a safe and effective service
• know when to refer clients and when to ask for support and advice
• apply the medico-legal aspects of medicine provision in accordance with a patient group direction, or as a non-medical prescriber
• demonstrate knowledge of the clinical content of the relevant patient group direction(s) if applicable.

The aim of this resource is to help develop your confidence, knowledge, skills and attitudes to offer an emergency contraception service and a chlamydia testing and treatment service, and to be able to deal professionally with a safeguarding issue should one arise in the course of your practice.

The FSRH have launched new guidance on emergency contraception this can be found here. We are in the process of updating this programme to incorporate this guidance.

#CPPEsexualhealth

Learning Objectives:

• demonstrate a good understanding of contraception and emergency contraception, the aims of the service and its place in contraception and sexual health services overall
• describe the presentation and management of chlamydia infection, and the aims of the chlamydia testing and treatment service and how it fits with the local sexual health agenda
• summarise the background and policy surrounding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and the issues this raises for pharmacy professionals
• describe the use of the patient group direction and associated paperwork for the indicated treatments
• demonstrate effective person-centred consultation skills to handle problematic situations
• demonstrate the ability to counsel and advise clients appropriately and sensitively, and refer for further care
• provide evidence for many of the competencies required to deliver emergency contraception and chlamydia services as described in the CPPE Declaration of Competence frameworks for each of these services.

Pharmacy staff may be drawn into or have to initiate various difficult discussions. Dealing with difficult discussions e-learning programme builds on CPPE’s basic communication and consultation skills learning programmes to help staff undertake more difficult discussions with patients and others.

Learning Objectives:

• identify discussions that are potentially difficult for you or the patient
• reflect on your own values, attitudes and beliefs and recognise how these may affect how you deal with certain discussions
• identify barriers to effective communication in difficult discussions and find strategies to make this easier
• reflect on and plan strategies for conducting competent consultations on a broad range of difficult discussions.

The aim of this learning resource is to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to deal professionally with any safeguarding issues that may arise in the course of your practice.

Completion of the programme and the associated Level 2 assessment will fulfil the safeguarding requirements at Level 2 for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as required for the Pharmacy Quality Scheme and by the intercollegiate document Safeguarding children and young people.

Completion of the programme and the associated Level 1 assessment will allow pharmacy support staff to prove their competence at Level 1 as required by the intercollegiate document Safeguarding children and young people.

Learning Objectives:

• explain your role in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and be aware of your legal, ethical and professional responsibilities
• describe the different types of abuse that children and vulnerable adults may be subjected to and know how to recognise the potential signs of abuse
• know who to contact for advice if you have concerns about the safety of a child or vulnerable adult
• take appropriate action if you suspect a case of abuse or neglect, including appropriately reporting and recording your concerns and sharing of information
• be able to identify and refer on an individual suspected of being a victim of trafficking, child sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation or at risk of radicalisation.

The aim of this programme is to support the community pharmacy team in developing and providing a sexual health service. This programme focuses on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). CPPE also has learning programmes on contraception and emergency contraception.

Learning Objectives:

• describe the role and responsibilities of pharmacies in providing sexual health services in the context of national and local policies and applying current relevant guidance
• access local and national sexual health data to understand service gaps
• map and make links with your local sexual health network and referral pathways to ensure seamless client care
• train your staff to respond confidently and appropriately to the sexual health needs of clients
• create a welcoming, non-judgemental, supportive environment for sexual health consultations
• carry out client-centred consultations to meet client needs, balancing the need for confidentiality with safeguarding considerations and identifying warning signs of child sexual exploitation and relationship abuse
• take an accurate and purposeful sexual history and identify risks and symptoms/situations requiring referral
• list risk factors, signs, symptoms, consequences and treatment options for relevant STIs, how to test for them and what to do with the results, including your role in partner notification (PN)
• promote advice on minimising risk and safer sex at every opportunity
• develop a standard operating procedure for your sexual health service.

This programme will help pharmacy teams to identify who may need advice and support, how they can give that support and what is the best course of action. It includes information on emergency hormonal contraception, the copper-bearing and the intrauterine device.

It has been developed to support pharmacists to set up an emergency contraception (EC) service as an enhanced community service.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has produced guidance for healthcare professionals on contraceptive provision, including emergency contraception, after changes to Covid-19 lockdown. You can find the FSRH resources here.

Learning Objectives:

• describe the development of EC supply in community pharmacy
• explain the options available for EC
• conduct a high-quality EC consultation, resulting in supply or signposting
• include messages in your consultation about the coil, condoms, contraception and chlamydia.

The purpose of this e-learning programme is to provide you with a better understanding of how HIV infection may affect patients you encounter. It will also help you to deal with clinical and practical issues which arise in the acute setting.

Learning Objectives:

• summarise how HIV replicates and affects the immune system
• explain when antiretroviral therapy should be started and the main parameters that should be monitored
• state the main classes and combinations of antiretroviral therapy, and their most common side-effects
• describe prophylaxis and treatment for three opportunistic infections
• explain when post-exposure prophylaxis is indicated and how to access it in an emergency within your workplace
• briefly discuss the approach to the treatment of HIV infection in pregnant women
• apply your knowledge to two or more HIV case studies: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, confidentiality, tuberculosis, post-exposure prophylaxis.

This e-assessment tests your knowledge and understanding in relation to the Sexual health in pharmacies programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

Work your way around the Sexual health learning topic, taking part in bite-sized interactive challenges that will help you and your team support and give advice to patients about emergency hormonal contraception. The challenges will help you if you are planning to offer chlamydia screening, while also promoting safer sex.

You can access this learning here: Sexual health - theLearningpharmacy.com

Learning Objectives:

• describe new methods of engaging with patients and the public
• develop and run an effective health promotion campaign in your pharmacy
• provide advice and signposting on self-care and public health
• explain how you would develop and deliver a successful pharmacy service
• explain how to deal effectively with patient queries about long term conditions or medicines
• support a person presenting with a new prescription
• describe how to advise appropriately a patient requesting an OTC medicine
• become more confident in dealing with therapeutic challenges and prescription interventions
• identify and meet the professional development needs of the pharmacy team.

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV homepage

This document has been developed for commissioners and providers of sexual health services in order to support the commissioning of sexual health services.

This e-learning programme aims to equip you with the up-to-date skills and knowledge that you need to confidently support and advise patients who use or might use contraception. It contributes to the completion of your Declaration of Competence to provide oral contraception and emergency contraception services.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has produced guidance for healthcare professionals on contraceptive provision, including emergency contraception, after changes to Covid-19 lockdown. You can find the FSRH resources here.

Learning Objectives:

• describe how to ensure a patient-centred approach when providing contraception advice and services
• describe the different types and methods of contraception and their use, risks and benefits
• identify and use key current reference sources to maintain up-to-date knowledge about different forms of contraception
• confidently deal with common issues encountered when providing effective contraception advice and services
• use evidence-based judgement to decide when to refer a patient and identify patients who require other contraception services.

Scenario: Management : covers the management of men with erectile dysfunction.

Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Sexual health: NHS choice webpage.