Men Can Confront Sexual Health Issues Using NHS Direct's New Symptom Checker, UK

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 14 Jun 2009 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Men can now take control of their sexual health and confront any concerns without embarrassment using NHS Direct's new on-line symptom checker.

The symptom checker, which will be available at http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk from 15 June, is suitable for all males over the age of 12 and covers problems with the penis, testicles and genital area.

Pain, swelling, injury and infection are just some of the areas covered. Sensitive topics, which may be difficult to talk about, are also covered such as sexual assault or abuse and sexual dysfunction.

The symptom checker works by asking the user a series of questions. Depending of the information provided, it may suggest a number of options including: a visit to a GP, (either routinely or urgently), A&E or a sexual health (GUM) clinic, or to seek further advice from a pharmacist. In some cases, a further assessment can be suggested, with a call back from an NHS Direct nurse advisor. The user can choose to remain anonymous for the call back.

Users could be given advice that enables them to treat themselves at home. In these cases, instructions are always given explaining what to do if the problem persists or worsens.

NHS Direct is a partner in National Men's Health Week (commencing 15 June), which is focused on improving men's access to health services. The male sexual health symptom checker is key to improving men's engagement with sexual health issues, enabling NHS Direct to reach men who may be less comfortable using the telephone or talking about sensitive issues face-to-face.

Helen Young, NHS Direct Clinical Director and Chief Nurse, says: "NHS Direct is delighted to be partnering Men's Health Week, helping to raise the level of awareness amongst men about the range of health services available. NHS Direct is for everyone and it's important that our services are easily accessible and appealing to a male audience too."

NHS Direct deals with fewer men than women - 40 per cent of callers to NHS Direct are male, while around 20 per cent of the calls specifically about sexual health are from men. Last month, 30 per cent of online enquires on all subjects were initiated by men.

The most common enquiries received from male callers are: dental, abdominal pain and rashes. Common subjects of enquiry specifically relating to sexual health include rectal bleeding, urinary retention and penile pain or swelling.

Helen Young adds: "Sexual health is unfortunately often a low priority for men and the subject can be viewed as embarrassing and uncomfortable to talk about. The new symptom checker encourages men to take the reins when it comes to their concerns and seek confidential advice. It's vitally important that anyone with a concern about their sexual health seeks advice at the earliest opportunity. Often problems can be dealt with easily if picked up early but the longer something is left the more chance there is of further complications."

The new symptom checker has been developed to reflect the same protocols used by NHS Direct's telephone advisors, making it much more effective than other self help guides and symptom checkers that are not integrated with NHS Direct contact centres.

Notes

- NHS Direct handles over 25,000 calls a day. That's over 9 million calls a year.

- The NHS Direct Online website (http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) receives around 21 million visits a year.

- NHS Direct employs over 3,500 staff, over 1,100 of who are trained nurses.

National Men's Health Week begins on 15 June and this year's theme is Men and Services. The week is run by Men's Health Forum http://www.menshealthforum.org.uk.

Source
NHS Direct