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Letters to the Editor
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Chlamydia testing
Testing provided in Cornish pharmacies too
From Dr D. H. Maddock, FRPharmS
We note the claim that Trafford Primary Care Trust is one of the first
nationally to include
community pharmacies in the national chlamydia screening programme (PJ, 10 March, p273).
Readers may be interested to learn that as a result of a routine public
health campaign held in April 2006, numerous community pharmacists indicated
they were prepared to participate in an ongoing project. Subsequently
41 community pharmacists across Cornwall have participated in providing
free chlamydia screening kits to clients visiting pharmacies. Bins were
originally provided for display in the pharmacy to include differently
coloured male and female kits. However it was ultimately decided for
practical reasons to site the kits behind the counter. Due to the persistence
of the local pharmaceutical committee, a service level agreement was
devised, with each pharmacy contractor receiving a fee of £125
per annum, commensurate with that paid to GPs. Surprisingly, in the past
three months some 700 kits have been picked up by concerned clients at
pharmacies, compared with 900 in specialist genitourinary clinics. Returns
are running at 18 to 28 per cent, depending on the area of the county.
The success of the project has clearly been due to the enthusiastic support
of the PCT prescribing advisers and staff. The results of the project
are to be reviewed in June of this year, when it is expected that it
will be extended.
Hopkin Maddock
Chief Executive
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Pharmaceutical Committee
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal