NATIONAL REVIEW OF GENITO URINARY MEDICINE SERVICES

Managed by the Medical Foundation for AIDS & Sexual Health (MedFASH)
Commissioned by the Department of Health (DH)

PROJECT SUMMARY

1. Introduction
The demand for sexual health services in England currently exceeds supply. New cases of sexually transmitted infections continue to rise and the average waiting time to be seen by Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics is unacceptably long. The need to undertake a national service review has been identified as a priority by the Department of Health (DH) and representatives of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).

This review supported stretched GUM services and primary care trusts (PCTs) by identifying the potential for service modernisation and capacity development at local level. The findings have been of importance for strategic health authorities (SHAs) in relation to their performance management of PCTs.

Commissioned by the DH as part of its implementation action plan for the National strategy for sexual health and HIV, the review was managed as a project by MedFASH.

2. Purpose
The review aimed to:
• undertake an assessment of each GUM service in England, highlighting factors which help or hinder their ability to offer a prompt and high quality service,
• offer recommendations for service improvement and modernisation arising from each assessment to the GUM service reviewed, the host organisation, PCT and SHA
• provide findings and recommendations from the review to the Department of Health and other relevant national bodies.

The following elements were identified as key to supporting service improvements at local level and were covered in the review: location, premises, patient numbers, waiting times, staffing, training implications, information technology, diagnostics, laboratory services, patient and public involvement.

3. Project team and partners
The MedFASH project team was based in London and consisted of Professor Michael Adler (Project Adviser), Cathy Harman (Project Manager), Jacky Rogers (Clinical Reviewer), Tracy Stannard and Catherine Morgan (Project Co-ordinators) and Vanessa Mobiglia (Project Administrator). The team worked closely with a multi-agency advisory group, whose membership included GUM clinicians (including representatives of BASHH), the DH, PCTs and SHAs.

Essential support was provided at a local level by all stakeholders, including PCTs, SHAs and local voluntary and community organisations, as well as GUM services themselves, to facilitate the service review. Prior to carrying out reviews, the project team met with the sexual health lead of the relevant SHA to acquire a full understanding of local issues. Clinic visits were undertaken by multi-agency teams including the SHA lead and other local and/or regional participants. A proportion of visits also included the Project Adviser and/or Project Manager and/or a member of the advisory group.

4. Project plan
The project ran from June 2004 until May 2007. Key milestones achieved included:
• review and refinement of proposed project methodology
• development of questionnaire
• securing support and participation of SHAs and PCTs
• circulation of questionnaire to all GUM clinics and analysis of responses
• development of review visit template
• pilot visits to test practicality and effectiveness of review visit template
• training programme for local/regional visit leaders
• national programme of visits to all GUM clinics

A final report to reflect findings from the review is currently being produced.


For further information please contact us at Medical Foundation for AIDS & Sexual Health, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WCIH 9JP.
Website: www.medfash.org.uk
Email:enquiries.medfash@medfash.bma.org.uk
Tel: 020 7383 6345

MedFASH 31 May 2007