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Current Service Access - Updates for Primary Care Services

Update published June 2024

5 days a week:

5 days a week: 

Sandyford Central, with dedicated Young Person service  (appointment only) Tuesdays & Wednesdays 4.30 - 7.30pm

Sandyford Paisley, with dedicated Young Person service (drop-in and appointment clinics) Thursdays 4.30 - 7.30pm

Sandyford Parkhead, with dedicated Young Person service  (appointment only) Monday & Tuesdays 4.30 - 7.30pm

Sandyford Woodside, with dedicated Young Person service  (appointment only) Tuesdays 4.30 - 7.30pm

 

4 days a week: 

Sandyford Govanhill, Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays and Fridays - LARC, STI testing

Dedicated Young Peoples service (appointment only) on Mondays and Wednesdays, 4.30 - 7.30pm

 

2 days a week: 

Sandyford Greenock, Wednesday and Thursday

Dedicated Young Person service (appointment-only), Wednesdays 4.30 - 7pm

 

1 day a week: 

Sandyford Kirkintilloch, Tuesdays - Implant, STI testing, Dedicated Young Peoples service 4.30 - 7.30pm
Sandyford Clydebank, Thursdays - Implant, STI testing. Dedicated Young Peoples service 4.30 - 7.30pm
Sandyford Vale of Leven, Mondays - Implant, STI testing

Email:

For all GUM/STI/contraception queries  ggc.sandyfordprofessionalsupport@nhs.scot

For all menopause related queries ggc.menopausesupport@nhs.scot 

 

URGENT clinical advice

 

Urgent clinical advice is available by contacting the business support team at Sandyford on 0141 211 8605, who will be able to direct your call to the GUM or SRH ‘Doctor of the Day’.

Please note that appointments or non urgent advice is not available via this number. 

Clinical Guidance

Clinical guidance and protocols are available to support you categorised under different topic headings. 

Emergency contraception

Oral EC or emergency coil insertion is available at Sandyford Central and our 4 Connect sides (Woodside, Govanhill, Parkhead, Paisley) with urgent access (<48 hours but with telephone triage to assess appointment time requirement).  

New start or continuation long-acting reversible contraception (LARC): Coil and implant fitting appointments available. Online booking preferred but appointments can be booked via phone for those without online access. Approximately half of these appointments are available to be booked far in advance with the remainder being released 1–2 weeks prior to the clinic date. 

Deep implant removal clinics provided  regional service with referrals being placed on a waiting list. 

New start or continuation non-LARC

No ability to provide repeat prescriptions or direct to community pharmacy. If consultation is in the virtual clinic, only the progestogen-only pill can be given if there is no recorded BP/BMI within the past year. There will be communication to primary care via letter on the prescription of chosen method given. 

STI/BBV testing

Appointments for no consultation STI testing (for those without symptoms) are available via phone or online. These appointments are available at most sites. 

STI management

 For those with symptoms of an acute STI, there is rapid access service (<2 working days) which is accessed via telephone (with triage) 

We are seeing a rise in STI diagnoses in NHS GGC, with the highest positive Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea rates since pre-pandemic, and therefore a rise in demand for management of these 

We work closely with WoSSVC to develop improved STI testing for Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma Genitalium with rapid antibiotic sensitivity tests to allow for faster treatment and more treatment options e.g. oral antibiotics with remote management. 

*Gonorrhoea: Please note this requires microbiology culture tests, as well as NAAT, and management should be via Sandyford services for IM ceftriaxone (unless sensitivity to oral ciprofloxacin is proven which will be on the test result) 

Monkeypox: Clinical assessment for monkeypox for people with genital symptoms and/or Men who have sex with men is provided via Sexual Health services and the number of cases are negligible 

Abortion Care

There is unprecedented demand for abortion services in GGC alongside no routine service for surgical abortions and limited availability for in-patient medication abortions in acute services. The Sandyford service provides full abortion care management with telemedicine and home abortions, including home delivery of medications. Face to face appointments remain for those who require it and for post abortion LARC. Patients can call directly for a telephone consultation 0141 211 8620. Please note that in Clyde area, there is currently a service in Acute Gynaecology accessible for people from this area, which may have a shorter wait time.  

Vasectomy counselling and procedures

Vasectomy procedures are at full capacity but demand is high with a long waiting time currently from referral to operation. We will hold both self-referrals and GP referrals in a waiting list. There is a review of this service to aim to reduce the wait time and patients will be contacted to provide pre-appointment information to ensure eligibility for local anaesthetic vasectomy.  

Gynaecology/Complex SRH

Service at full capacity with increase in demand. All GP referrals for patients within NHS GGC area must be via SCI Gateway and will be held in a waiting list. Patients may be sent an ‘opt-in’ letter or contacted to see if they still need an appointment as some have been referred to both acute Gynae and cSRH services.  

*Please note re Urgent ‘2 week wait’ referrals: There have been some referrals for this but Sandyford do not have a one-stop clinic for this presentation. Please re-refer this patient via SCI to acute gynaecology using the PMB or urgent pathway.  

Menopause

Majority of referrals are dealt with by email advice to GP (available as above) or telephone call to patient. Appointments available for those requiring complex face to face care. 

Chronic STI/longer term conditions

A new service model for genital warts management started in November 2022. It is often helpful to initiate topical treatment with Podophyllotoxin (Warticon/Condyline) – Available on formulary.   

Genital Dermatology conditions

Presentations of genital skin conditions (other than warts) where STI has been excluded (or very low risk), including non acute ulcerative disease or specific dermatosis, should be referred via SCI store to local dermatology service. Phimosis should be referred to urology and possible genital skin tumours, should be directly referred to urology, gynaecology or dermatology as appropriate   

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) & HIV PEPSE:

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Full service provided. 

HIV PEPSE: Full face to face service provided with urgent appointment (same day) 

Other service queries we have received: 

Sexual Problems Service: Due to staffing pressures and increase in demand, current waiting time is long but service accepts GP and self referral for patients within GGC. 

Counselling services (SCASS): This service has a very long waiting list currently and there is an ongoing service review to address this. It currently accepts referrals in relation to problems forming healthy sexual relationships or time urgent referrals from within our services e.g. from TOPAR service.  

Colposcopy: This service is not provided in Sandyford, with all colposcopy services being within acute Gyn services. 

Genital cosmetic surgery/labioplasty:  Please note this is not offered at all across NHS GGC services. 

Online

The Turas module for CPD in Sexual & Reproductive Health is ideal for registered practitioners who are looking for a refresher in SRH related issues. You can view the module here - Sexual and reproductive health | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot). You must have a TURAS account to access this module and your professional role settings must be set to one of the following: General Practictioner, General Practitioner Trainee, General Practitioner Nurse, District Nurse, or Adult Nurse. If you still cannot access the module please contact Turas support.  

Free CPD at e-lfh.org.uk (E-LFH) (Modules: “Sexual and Reproductive Health – eSRH”; “Sexual Health and HIV – HIV-STI”)  

The FSRH have released recent guidance on coil removal and a short video which provides training on this straightforward procedure. It is a very straightforward and quick procedure and may be useful for practice nurses and other staff www.fsrh.org/education-and-training/fsrh-bitesize-intrauterine-device-iud-removal.

In person

DFSRH, implant and coil training are available at Sandyford services. Please see the website www.sandyford.scot/professionals/training-professional-resources/ for further information.  

Sandyford can provide coil and implant 'refresher' sessions for those who have been trained in these procedures previously but have not been able to provide LARC in recent times and wish to refresh their skills. These sessions are free of charge and limited to one session per clinician. Please note that if you previously held a Letter of Competence with the FSRH and this has lapsed, you will need to complete the qualification from the beginning. Please email Sandyford.Training@ggc.scot.nhs.uk to arrange training sessions. 

We receive a large number of requests to ‘shadow’ in clinics form multiple disciplines. All requests for ‘shadowing’ should be emailed to sandyford.training@ggc.scot.nhs.uk and prioritisation will be given to those who are currently in NHS GGC and wish to pursue a career in one of our Specialties.