Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the impact of a health adviser in genitourinary medicine as a training and support resource on the management of Chlamydia trachomatis in a large inner city health centre.

Methods: A large, inner city health centre was selected at random for the intervention, with another selected as control. The health adviser offered support and training in the management of C trachomatis to clinical staff in the intervention health centre for 6 months. Data on testing activity were collected over the period of the intervention and during the equivalent period in the previous year. Data on partner notification activities were collected from case notes.

Results: The research intervention was effective in increasing C trachomatis testing activity. However, the majority of tests were offered to women over 20 years of age and no increase in the proportion of positive results was observed.

Conclusions: The intervention was effective in increasing C trachomatis testing activity, but did not improve the overall detection rate. Health centre staff accommodated opportunistic testing for C trachomatis into existing healthcare practices, as opposed to introducing new screening systems designed to reach the target population.