Chlamydia screening programme, HMP Hydebank Wood Young Offender Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

In a young offender's centre, 204 male prisoners were offered chlamydia screening, from January 2007 to April 2007. The aim of this screening programme was to identify and treat asymptomatic prisoners with chlamydia infection. Offering the screening within a prison was an opportunity to test a hard-to-reach population that is at high risk of chlamydia infection. The programme established a high level of testing acceptability with a 98% screening uptake rate. Using nucleic acid amplification testing, 21 (10.5%) tested prisoners were positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. Patients were treated under Patient Group Direction (PGD). Further screening for sexually transmitted diseases was offered to chlamydia-positive patients by the genitourinary (GU) medicine specialist.