Unity rapid results service study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Unity Sexual Health rapid STI testing, diagnostic and treatment service evaluation
IRAS ID
242771
Contact name
Jeremy Horwood
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
Sexual health services are facing financial constraints due to reduced local authority budgets. At the same time, there is increased demand for HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. Unity Sexual Health, which provides services for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, is redesigning its service to improve access and delivery of care. This includes use of new rapid STI tests, so patients can get test results within hours. Currently patients may have to wait over a week for results. As most infections do not cause symptoms, early detection and treatment can help stop onward transmission and serious disease developing.
Asymptomatic, low-risk patients will be encouraged to self-manage using online services, including postal testing kits. Symptomatic patients will be encouraged to attend the new rapid results sexual health service at Unity Central Health Clinic. These patients will be asked to drop off self-taken samples (e.g. urine sample, vaginal or rectal swab) and 4 hours later (or next working day) to return for test results and treatment. Bloods for HIV and syphilis testing will still be sent for laboratory testing. For asymptomatic high-risk patients such as men who have sex with men and commercial sex workers, rapid HIV testing in addition to rapid STI testing will be undertaken. Individuals testing positive for STIs and/or HIV will receive appropriate treatment, advice on the need for repeat testing, safer sexual practices and support.
We will evaluate changes to the service. Anonymous patient records from Unity will be used to investigate the impact of the new service on service delivery and resources, with anonymous data from a comparison site in Brighton used to take account of temporal trends. Qualitative observations and interviews will be conducted at Unity to examine patients’ and clinic staff views, experiences and acceptability of the service.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SW/0090
Date of REC Opinion
9 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion