Chlamydia--inside out

The aim was to inform other health care professionals within the field of sexual health about the expanding role of the health adviser in genitourinary medicine. It also highlights the complementary role of a community health adviser that may develop if the chlamydia pilot study became a national screening programme. An audit of time management and workload created by partner notification for the positive patients generated by the chlamydia pilot was undertaken. This was done prospectively over a two-month period and the data were collected by the health advisers in the genitourinary medicine department. The results showed that 164 people generated by the pilot study were treated for chlamydia (80 cases and 84 partners): 25 letters and 8 phone calls were required to achieve this. The national sexual health strategy now addresses the issue of integration of sexual health services. It may be suggested that the role of the health adviser could be fundamental to this strategy and development of a community health adviser may then evolve.