EHC & Sexual Health

An EHC service is commissioned in all areas across West Yorkshire.  Although the titles and service specification for these services vary per area, in essence pharmacies are being commissioned to provide an EHC service as part of a sexual health service which may also include condom distribution, pregnancy testing and a chlamydia screening and other treatment services.  Pharmacists providing the service must always refer to the service specification for the service that they are commissioned to provide.

The service specifications for each area are listed below (see links).  Also listed for each area are links to the relevant safeguarding teams.  If you have concern that a child is being harmed as a result of abuse or neglect, you must NOT keep these concerns to yourself.  KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY.

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Pharmacists providing an EHC service are responsible and accountable for ensuring that they:

• Maintain competency to provide the service so they are able to practice safely and effectively.
• Keep up to date with relevant guidance and procedures.
• Work under the terms of the relevant PGD for the area in which they are working.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare launched new guidance, (see here), on emergency contraception.  If you are involved in advising or caring for women who may need emergency contraception, please make sure you read this updated guidance to ensure any advice you give is the most up to date.

Remember to Advise Women that Oral Emergency Contraception (EC) Methods Do Not Provide Ongoing Contraception

Local Sexual Health services have reported an increased number of patients recently who have had a positive pregnancy test after taking ulipristal and patients have said that they were unaware that they needed to use additional barrier contraception.

Providers of oral EC should advise women that oral EC should always advise women that this does not provide contraceptive cover for subsequent UPSI and that they will need to use contraception or abstain from sex to avoid further risk of pregnancy.

Additionally, for women taking hormonal contraception, the effectiveness of ulipristal can be reduced if a woman takes progestogen in the 5 days after taking ulipristal.  Women should therefore be advised to wait 5 days after ulipristal before starting their hormonal contraception and should be advised to use condoms or abstain from sex until their contraceptive method is effective.  Refer to pages 29-31 of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare guidance here.

The following general information/resources may be helpful for pharmacists providing an EHC service:

• Sexual Health Consultation Overview
• Confidentiality Poster
• Video for Healthcare professionals – spotting the signs of Child Sexual Exploitation
• Barnado’s Questions
• A national proforma for identifying risk of child exploitation in sexual health services (See section 2, p10-14)
• Fraser Guidelines
• Talking 1 to 1 with a Young Person
• FSRH Clinical Guidance Emergency Contraception

Bradford Sexual Health (EHC) Service

Bradford EHC Contract – April 2018

Changes to Administration of the EHC Contract – April 2018

EHC Service Specification – April 2018

EHC Decision Tree – April 2018

EHC Consultation Form – April 2018

Levonorgestrel PGD v2 valid from March 2023 (Bradford & Kirklees)

Signposting Information (Bradford)

The BASH Bradford website provides a one stop shop for contraceptive information, advice and services in the Bradford district.  Patients can be directed to the website or can call Bradford Sexual Health and Contraceptive Services on 030 3330 9500.

Locala offer a free and confidential service providing contraception and STI (sexually transmitted infection) care in clinics across Bradford.  This includes a city centre hub near Broadway Shopping Centre (Howard House, above the Yorkshire Building Society).  See https://www.locala.org.uk/services/sexual-health/.

Safeguarding Links & Information

See the Childrens’ Safeguarding Board website.

See the Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Board website.

See additional WY Safeguarding information in our Clinical Governance section here.

Claims for the service are processed via PharmOutcomes. Queries about payments for the Bradford EHC service should be directed to info@cpwy.org.

Service Commissioner: Locala Community Partnerships CIC

Service Lead: Jo Marshall – jo.marshall@locala.org.uk

Calderdale Sexual Health (EHC) Service

Service Extension & Contract Variation Letter 2021

Service Extension & Contract Variation Letter 2020

Service Extension & Contract Variation Letter 2019

Service Extension Letter 2018

Service Sub Contract Agreement

Emergency Contraception Decision Tree

Calderdale Levonorgestrel PGD v2 valid from March 2023

Calderdale Ulipristal PGD v2 valid from March 2023

Sexual Health Consultation Form 2019

Condom Supply as Part of an EHC Service

EHC Poster

Signposting Information (Calderdale)

Integrated Sexual Health Service – telephone: 01422 261370

The Calderdale Sexual Health services website provides a one stop shop for contraceptive information, advice and services in the Calderdale area.  See https://sexualhealth.cht.nhs.uk/services/.

Services are located across Calderdale with the main hub (Broad Street) located centrally in Halifax. Address: 51 Northgate Plaza, Broad Street, Halifax HX1 1UB.

Safeguarding Links & Information (Calderdale)

See the Calderdale Safeguarding website.

If you are worried about a vulnerable child or adult see https://safeguarding.calderdale.gov.uk/report-concerns/ for information on how to report your concerns.

See additional WY Safeguarding information in our Clinical Governance section here.

Claims for the service are processed via PharmOutcomes. Queries about payments for the Calderdale EHC service should be directed to info@cpwy.org.

Service Commissioner: Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Service Lead: Gill Harries – gill.harries@cht.nhs.uk

Kirklees Sexual Health (EHC) Service

Locala Service Specification Updated Service (includes ulipristal)

EHC Decision Tree

Consultation Form Updated Service

Levonorgestrel PGD v2 valid from March 2023 (Bradford & Kirklees)

Chlamydia screening is included as part of the commissioned EHC/Sexual Health service in Kirklees, however, test kits are not currently available. Pharmacists providing the service can refer patients to SH24 which provides online testing for Kirklees residents aged over 16. See https://sh24.org.uk/.

Patients aged under 16 will need to be referred to Locala – https://www.locala.org.uk/services/sexual-health/.

Signposting Information (Kirklees)

Locala offer a free and confidential service providing contraception and STI (sexually transmitted infection) care in clinics across Huddersfield and Dewsbury.  See https://www.locala.org.uk/services/sexual-health/.

The main sexual health clinics are located at Princess Royal Health Centre, Huddersfield, HD1 4EW, Dewsbury Health Centre, Wellington Road, WF13 1HN and Cleckheaton Health Centre, Greenside, Cleckheaton, BD19 5AP.

Patients can make an appointment in Kirklees (or get advice about a drop-in session) by calling 030 3330 9981.

Safeguarding Links & Information (Kirklees)

See the Kirklees Childrens Safeguarding Board website for information, including contact details for the Duty & Advice Team and who to contact if you are worried about a child in Kirklees.

For vulnerable adults in Kirklees see http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/adult-social-care-providers/safeguarding-adults-information-professionals.aspx.

See additional WY Safeguarding information in our Clinical Governance section here.

Claims for the service are processed via PharmOutcomes.  Queries about payments for the Kirklees EHC service should be directed to info@cpwy.org.

Service Commissioner: Locala Community Partnerships CIC

Service Lead: Jo Marshall – jo.marshall@locala.org.uk

Kirklees C-Card Scheme

The Kirklees C-Card scheme allows trained members of the pharmacy team to offer free condoms to 13-24 year olds. There is no payment for providing this scheme, which runs separately to the Kirklees EHC commissioned service, but pharmacies providing the Kirklees EHC service (or any pharmacy with a high footfall of young people) may want to be able to offer free condoms to their patients.

The Kirklees C-Card Scheme aims to:

• Improve access to male and female condoms, lube and dams.
• Give information about sexual health.
• Develop skills on how to use condoms correctly.
• Provide support.
• Sign-post young people to other services.

Once trained, all equipment to run the scheme will be provided by Locala.

Training for staff is delivered virtually (via Microsoft Teams) and will provide information about the C-Card scheme, including registration of young people onto the scheme, and additional information on supporting young people to stay sexually healthy. The training sessions last 3.5 hours and can be booked via the following link Locala Sexual Health Services Events.

If your pharmacy would be interested in providing the Kirklees C-Card scheme and would like further information, please contact the Locala Sexual Health Outreach Team on 0333 043 6219 or email lcp.shopt@nhs.net.

Last Updated: 25th May 2023