In England, the National Chlamydia Screening Programme exists to reduce the health harm caused by untreated chlamydia infection.

The programme recommends that all sexually active women, and people with a womb or ovaries, under the age of 25 should test either after having sex with a new partner or annually.

The harmful effects of chlamydia occur predominantly in women, and other people with a womb or ovaries, and the programme aims to encourage chlamydia testing to reduce time for test results and treatment, strengthen partner notification and encourage re-testing after treatment.

One opportunity for opportunistic testing is within community pharmacies.  Pharmacists are being encouraged to take every opportunity to promote testing:

• during emergency hormonal contraception consultations
• contraception discussions
• condom sales
• sexual health enquiries
• other health promotion conversations with young people.

This can help to improve access to sexual health services, identify infections earlier, enable treatment and partner notification, and improve sexual health outcomes for young people.

For more information, and to order kits for your pharmacy, please contact:
Exeter & Barnstaple – rduh.cso@nhs.net
Torbay – rduhcsotorbay@nhs.net
Sexual Health in Plymouth (SHiP) –
plh tr.GUMclinic@nhs.net or visit: https://yourship.uk/for professionals/

More information on the National Chlamydia Screening Programme can be found here

You can also signpost individuals to access free at home testing kits through the Devon Sexual Health Website