The Postgraduate Award for Sexual Health in Primary Care was commissioned by the West Midlands Deane

1
PGA SEXUAL HEALTH IN PRIMARY CARE - INTRODUCTION

• The Postgraduate Award for Sexual Health in
  Primary Care was commissioned by the West
  Midlands Deanery in response to the National
  Strategy for HIV and Sexual Health. It is
  designed to provide educational preparation for
  clinicians who wish to deliver sexual health
  services at Level 1.
• The course is aimed at Practice Nurses, GPs and
  GP registrars and is delivered through 5 separate
  units of study combining to earn 30 CATS (Credit
  Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at Level
  4.
• The units cover-
• Epidemiology and services, confidentiality and
  young people
• Cervical screening to the NHSCSP standard
• STI diagnosis and management, including
  laboratory support
• Contraception to Level One of the Sexual Health
  Strategy
• Sexual history and risk assessment for the
  primary care context      
• There are a total of five days of classroom
  teaching, with a strong emphasis then placed on
  self-directed learning. Clinical mentorships can
  also be arranged to support the learning of
  clinical skills. The course is generally
  completed over six months and is assessed through
  a multiple choice test, an assignment and by
  OSCEs. Students are also asked to complete logs
  of clinical practice, including consultations and
  smears.

2
UNIT 1 FOUNDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

• This Unit aims to set the context for the course
  as a whole. It explores the importance of
• the primary care setting and the role of the
  primary care clinician in the delivery of
• effective sexual health services.  The key sexual
  health issues highlighted in this unit will
• provide the basis for more in-depth coverage in
  subsequent units. 
• The aims of the unit are
• 1.To assess the value of providing sexual health
  services in a primary care setting
• 2. To recognise the importance of linking all
  aspects of sexual health introduced in Unit 1,
  assessed in unit 5
• 3. To be able to articulate legal and
  professional responsibilities in relation to
  sexual health care
• 4. To appraise the wider context in which sexual
  health services in primary care are delivered
• 5. To make inferences from user views to develop
  sexual health services
• 6. To assess the particular issues relating to 
  confidentiality in the delivery of sexual health
  services in a primary care setting and to develop
  operational strategies which ensure key issues
  are addressed in practice.
• 7. To critically evaluate the value of team and
  partnership working in the delivery of good
  sexual health care
• 8. To use an evidence-based approach in sexual
  health work

3
UNIT 2 CERVICAL SCREENING

• This Unit conforms to the NHS Cervical Screening
  Programme criteria for smear takers
• training and students are offered the opportunity
  to achieve the NHSCSP certificate.
• The aims of the unit are
• 1. To recognise the role of NHS Cervical
  Screening Programme
• 2. To describe the anatomy physiology of the
  pelvic organs
• 3. To successfully collect 20 cervical smear
  samples of which 90 must be adequate
• 4. To describe the process of sample testing and
  recall
• 5. To describe the management of abnormal and
  inadequate smears
• 6. To demonstrate an ability to meet the needs of
  women with special requirements
• 7. To recognise professional accountability in
  cervical screening

4
UNIT 3 - STIs

• Many practices detect few sexually transmitted
  infections. Yet anyone who reads the
• newspapers knows that sexually transmitted
  infections in the UK are spreading out of
• control. A recent Commons Committee report
  highlighted that GUM services are in crisis.
• Despite this most GPs and practice nurses are
  still poorly served by their education and
• have great uncertainties about STI detection and
  management. This module will teach
• you the basics of what you and your patients need
  to know, and how best to access care
• and advice.
• The aims of the unit are
• 1. To recognise which infections are sexually
  transmissible and which are not
• 2. To demonstrate awareness of the implications
  for health of diagnosed and undiagnosed
  infections
• 3. To describe the incidence, prevalence and
  trends in transmission of the most significant
  STIs
• 4. To identify routes of transmission and means
  of prevention of STIs
• 5. To recognise and respond to the clinical
  necessity of STI testing in primary care
• 6. To demonstrate competence in testing and
  diagnosing STIs including correct sample
  collection
• 7. To conduct competent pre- and post-test
  discussions
• 8. To describe current clinical management of
  more common STIs
• 9. To understand the role of GUM and the need for
  appropriate referral
• 10. To demonstrate understanding of the role of
  partner notification, and for which infections it
  is indicated

5
UNIT 4 - CONTRACEPTION

• Most women seek contraceptive advice and
  treatment in a primary care setting so it is
• important that this advice and care is of the
  highest quality. Completion of this unit will
• prepare participants for this responsibility and
  reinforce the skills and knowledge of those
• already providing this service.
• The aims of the unit are
• 1. To describe the menstrual cycle and process of
  fertilisation
• 2. To critically discuss available methods of
  contraception including their benefits and risks
• 3. To examine issues associated with prescribing
  including nurse prescribing and the use of PGD
• 4. To identify local pregnancy, contraceptive and
  TOP service provision
• 5. To analyse the issues and risks associated
  with unplanned pregnancy
• 6. To describe methods, complications follow-up
  for TOP
• 7. To understand legal issues associated with TOP

6
UNIT 5 COMMUNICATION IN SEXUAL HEALTH

• This unit will demonstrate the clinical necessity
  for risk assessment and sexual history
• taking in primary care, and help participants to
  improve their skills. It is intended to suit
• both those who are more confident in
  communication and sexual history taking, and
• those who feel totally inexperienced.  The unit
  intends to draw together the various
• clinical strands of the course so that
  participants can apply their knowledge and skills
  in a
• holistic way.
• The aims of the unit are
• 1. To define sexual health
• 2. To have strategies to prevent personal
  judgements from influencing quality of
  communication and care
• 3. To be able to initiate a discussion about sex
  in a consultation in an appropriate way
• 4. To consider the various components of the
  sexual history and their application in primary
  care
• 5. To integrate concepts of risk group and risk
  behaviour relevant to clinical practice in
  primary care
• 6. To understand the clinical value of sexual
  history taking
• 7. To demonstrate competence in sexual history
  taking
• 8. To have strategies for information giving in
  common or clinically important clinical situations

7
UNIT 6 - ASSESSMENT

• The sixth unit is the day of assessment, which
  includes a Multiple Choice Exam and
• participation in OSCEs. Students also submit a
  written assignment and a clinical logbook
• of work undertaken in practice.
• PLEASE NOTE the content of the course is subject
  to alteration.