We would like to share with Journal readers our findings from a local study which highlighted some issues around sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) provision after sexual assault which led us to make changes to our local service. People who attend Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) have a variety of acute and longer-term sexual health and contraceptive needs. In Cardiff, we introduced a local policy in 2017 that aimed to ensure high-quality immediate care within the SARC and onwards referral to the local integrated sexual health clinic. Forensic examinations and immediate care in the SARC are the responsibility of Forensic Medical Examiners (FMEs), employed by a private contractor. The policy followed recommendations from national guidelines,1–3 through advising on use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV, hepatitis B vaccination, provision of emergency contraception (EC) and routine referral for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. A year later, we conducted an audit to ascertain if the introduction of this protocol had been successful in meeting patients’ acute sexual health and contraception needs after sexual assault within the local SARC. ...
Language: en
LA - en SN - 2515-1991 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200356 ID - ref1 ER -