Chlamydia Service Training For Support Staff - A Success! UK

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 01 Nov 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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On 14 October 2009, two half-day training sessions were held for support staff involved in the London commissioned chlamydia service. The training was run by the NPA Pharmacy Services team with support from the Terence Higgins Trust.

The main purpose of the training was to increase activity in the service by ensuring participants:

- Understood how the pharmacy chlamydia screen and treat service operates
- Understood how their role can support provision of the service in their pharmacy
- Would know how to approach young people in a pro-active, non-judgemental manner.

A total of 22 support staff attended from across the three PCTs commissioning the service: Westminster; Hammersmith and Fulham; and Kensington and Chelsea. 100% of delegates rated the overall usefulness of the training as excellent or very good.

Helen Rhodes, NPA Pharmacy Services Implementation Manager said: "The training covered how the pharmacy team can support provision of the service and how to approach young people. Pharmacy support staff can be essential to the success of a service like this â€" they are often the first person who the patient or public sees."

"The skills that were developed on the day can also be used to approach patients and the public about any new pharmacy service. Most new pharmacy services are dependent upon the pharmacist and their team pro-actively engaging with patients and the public, for example, MURs, Health Checks and Weight Management. Where we see new pharmacy services operating well it usually also involves the drive and enthusiasm of the support staff."

Source
National Pharmacy Association