IMPACT-PC
Research type
Research Study
Full title
IMPACT-PC (Improved Management of Patients with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Primary Care): feasibility study
IRAS ID
159021
Contact name
John Macleod
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Research summary
Chlamydia is a common Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) in young men and women but often has few obvious symptoms. Because of this infection is typically diagnosed and treated late meaning infected individuals have longer to pass on Chlamydia to others and are more at risk of developing the long term consequences of Chlamydia themselves. In women these consequences include chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility; problems that cost the NHS around £100 million a year. There is now a National Chlamydia Screening Programme, itself costing £40 million a year. This has led to a substantial increase in testing for Chlamydia. Nearly 35,000 tests were undertaken in Bristol in 2012 with over 40% of these being taken in General Practice leading to 800 Chlamydia diagnoses in the community. A “side effect” of this increased Chlamydia testing is increased Gonorrhoea testing as the test detects both infections. Around 100 cases of Gonorrhoea were diagnosed this way in Bristol last year. Many GPs have neither the experience nor the resources to mange STI effectively in particular to trace and treat sexual partners to avoid re-infection and continued spread in the community and there is evidence that current community management is sub-optimal. A centralised, telephone-based, STI management service is part of the Chlamydia Screening Programme but most GP tests don’t go through it. We plan to offer the option of management using a centralised telephone-based service to GPs for management of all positive Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea tests taken in primary care. GPs will be free to opt out of this system if they prefer. Where they opt in the patient will be contacted by the centralised service and given their result. Any questions they have will be answered and appropriate treatment arranged. Patients will be asked to provide telephone contact details of recent partners who will then be contacted to ensure they are also treated and tested as appropriate. We want to test whether these changes we are proposing can be introduced successfully and whether practices and patients find this new system acceptable. If the new system seems feasible and acceptable we will apply for more support to investigate whether it improves health outcomes for patients and should be introduced more widely.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SW/1058
Date of REC Opinion
24 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion