Evaluating pharmacy-based sexual health services in the UK
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pharmacy-based sexual health services in the UK: A mixed methods evaluation
IRAS ID
242876
Contact name
Helen / HA Atherton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Warwick
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Title:
Who are users of pharmacy-based sexual health services in the UK and how can sexual health services be improved from the perspectives of pharmacy staff and users?Summary:
Sexual activity can cause serious health issues. Thus, it is important that people can quickly get help. Since people are more likely to attend services, if they are easy to reach, pharmacies are suitable for the provision of sexual health services: They are widely spread across the UK and no appointments are needed.
This study will look at the delivery of pharmacy-based sexual health services related to contraception and sexually transmitted infections. Since pharmacies are only recently expanding their role in the provision of sexual health services, only little is known to date about who the users of pharmacy-based sexual health services are and what pharmacy staff and pharmacy users like and dislike about the delivery of these services are.To find out who the users of pharmacy-based sexual health services are, we will analyse previously collected anonymised data by a sexual health provider in the West Midlands. Then, pharmacists, pharmacy healthcare assistants and users of pharmacy-based sexual health services from Birmingham will be interviewed for up to one hour on the phone or in personal interviews in a private room at Whittall Street Clinic in Birmingham (Whittall Street, Birmingham B4 6DH) to explore their experiences and views on the service delivery. By combining all research findings, we aim to make recommendations for service improvements. This is important since better service delivery potentially leads to more users and thus towards a healthier society.
We plan to start the study in August 2018 and complete it in October 2020.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0511
Date of REC Opinion
28 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion