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<h3 align="left"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366"><a name="contact">contact</a> slip standards in a GU setting<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<p align="justify">This information has been prepared by a SHASTD working group
principally for Health Advisers. It has been circulated and agreed as a standardised
practice in the UK by AGUM and GUNA.</p>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">Standardisng the format and use of Contact slips in the UK<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<p align="justify">The aim of improving the format and use of contact slips in the UK is
to enable contacts of an infection to access genitourinary screening tests and therefore
reduce the spread of infection. SHASTD acknowledges that at present contact slips are the
most effective way of facilitating attendance and therefore screening and epidemiological
treatment. They encourage discussion, responsibility and compliance by the index patients
and their contacts.</p>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">Rationale for developing/ changing contact slips<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">SHASTD looked at the name ‘Contact Slip’ and decided that
this should remain the same as no better alternative could be found. Points in favour of
keeping this included: </p>
</blockquote>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">contact does not necessarily
have a sexual connotation</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">it removes problems about the
definition of a ‘partner’</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">the word ‘contact’ is
not a value laden term</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
<p align="justify">SHASTD considered other
alternative names to ‘contact slip’ and ruled out the terms ‘screening
form’ ‘check-up slip’ and ‘notification form’ as it was felt that
this may deter some people from attending. Screening is not always mandatory and the other
terms may be associated with having a notifiable disease. The term ‘slip’ was
seen as more appropriate than ‘card’ or ‘form’.</p>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">The use of the contact slip book stubs has been left to the individual
discretion of each clinic. SHASTD acknowledges that some clinics may use stubs to assist
in the documenting of resolution of partner notification. If this is the case then the
group felt it would be useful to have headings for resolution on the reverse side of the
stub.</p>
<p align="justify">A minimum amount of information has been put on the proposed contact
slip with the expectation that they can be readily tailored to individual clinic needs.
Maps may or may not be necessary. Times are useful, but an advice number may be more
versatile, recognising that contact slips are more likely to go out of date sooner if they
include more information.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">SHASTD Guidelines for Health Advisers in the management of
contact slips within the clinic <!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">Health advisers should take the lead in co-ordinating and clarifying
the roles and responsibilities of staff and the development of clinic policy for partner
notification in the GU setting. </p>
<p align="justify">Health advisers should be involved in the training of new members of
staff so that they are clear of their role with partner notification.</p>
</blockquote>
<p align="justify">Giving index patients contact slips</p>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">Contact slips should routinely be given to patients who have traceable
contacts of the following infections:</p>
<p align="justify">infectious syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, non gonococcal urethritis,
trichomonas vaginalis, pelvic inflammatory disease, infectious hepatitis and chancroid.
(clinics may decide to give out contact slips for other infections such as herpes or warts
depending on the clinics protocol and individual situations)</p>
<p align="justify">Contact slip administration is a multidisciplinary team responsibility,
they can be issued by doctors, health advisers and nurses within GU clinics. Within
clinics there may need to be clarification of:</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">who issues the contact slips.</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">what should be covered in a
discussion with the index patient when giving out contact slips to aid their use. </p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">what should be documented in the
patients notes re contact slip administration.</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
</blockquote>
<p align="justify">Contacts attending with a contact slip </p>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">There is a need to develop clinic systems to enable contacts to be
screened and possibly treated without a loss of their own or their partners
confidentiality. Within clinics there may need to be clarification on:</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">Where they are handed in at a
clinic</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">How the contact slip information
is documented or cross referenced in the notes. Because of the confidential nature of this
information this data should be documented where it cannot be seen by the index patient. </p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
<p align="justify">Recorded information on
contacts should include:</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">name of the contact</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">their clinic reference number</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">the clinic of their attendance</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">the date they attended</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">their diagnosis</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">How the contact slip is attached
to the notes so it is seen at the consultation and then returned to the health adviser for
processing (e.g. stapling inside the front of the notes)</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
<p align="justify">Where a patient has a contact
slip issued from another clinic and more information is required the health adviser may
telephone the health adviser at the issuing clinic. The health adviser should be able to
gain access to all the relevant information required to resolve partner notification. </p>
</blockquote>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">On information being given to contacts/ partners<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<p align="justify">The contact/ partner will often volunteer the name of the index patient
and the infection that they have. This then permits further discussion about the infection
without a breach of the index patient’s confidentiality.</p>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">Confidentiality<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<p align="justify">General principals of index and partners/ contacts confidentiality
should include</p>
<blockquote>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">The index patient’s or
contact’s/ partner’s identity should not be disclosed</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">Where patient’s ask to see
their medical notes they can only see information written about themselves and therefore
not their contacts/ partners.</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">Notes should not be left
unattended with a patient</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">If the contact does not know the
name of the infection then they should not be informed of this but may be given general
information ‘we will do a routine screen for infections which includes the infection
you may have been in contact with. (for women)….. The screen will be for infections
including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Thrush, B.V. Trichomonas, if we find these
infections we will be able to treat / get rid of them. It is possible to have the
antibiotics that will treat the infection that you may have. I suggest we do a check for
these infections see if they show anything up and then decide whether you have any
treatment today’ (men discussion re infections could include Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea,
Syphilis, and N.S.U.)</p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">Patients may be informed that
‘I do not have any reason to believe that you are at risk of HIV but if you would
like to be tested for HIV we also offer this as a screening test at this clinic, would you
like to discuss HIV testing?’ </p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/shastd2/shasbul3.gif" width="35" height="24" hspace="3" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">Patients who ‘demand’
to know what the infection is need to be told that they have a right to know their own
diagnosis but not their contact’s/ partner’s. </p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
</blockquote>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">On contact slips being returned to the issuing clinic<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">Health advisers should return contact slips to the issuing clinic
within two weeks of the contacts attendance (two weeks will allow time for results of the
screen to be included and updating of the diagnosis).</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 align="justify"><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">Contacts attending without a contact slip<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify">All staff should encouraged when taking a sexual history to ask all
patients ‘did anyone ask or advise you to come in. ’Where patients volunteer
that they have been asked to attend then they should be asked for more information ‘
Did you get given a letter by another doctor or get a letter or slip of paper from a
partner’</p>
<p align="justify">Try to ascertain the contacts name / details (DOB and address) and the
clinic that they attended for their treatment. The health adviser may phone the health
adviser in the relevant clinic to clarify this information. If the contact information/
infection cannot be ascertained then there will need to be a longer discussion on what
they know about their partners infection.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366">DRAFT SHASTD CONTACT SLIP<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<!--mstheme--></font><table border="1" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="3" width="562" bordercolordark="#003366" bordercolorlight="#C0C0C0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td height="66" width="165"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"> <p>Resolution Information </p>
<p>Contact No:.........................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Date Attended:....................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>DOH Code:..........................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other relevant info: </p>
<p> </p>
<!--mstheme--></font></td>
<td height="66" width="357"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="center">This side of the form is for
clinic use only</p>
<p align="center">PLEASE RETURN TO THE HEALTH ADVISER AT THE ISSUING CLINIC </p>
<p>Contacts Ref No:............................ DOH Code:.........................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Clinic Name:....................................
Date:....................................</p>
<p>Clinic Address: </p>
<p>Health Adviser Telephone No: </p>
<!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
<h3><!--mstheme--><font color="#003366"> DRAFT SHASTD CONTACT SLIP<!--mstheme--></font></h3>
<!--mstheme--></font><table border="1" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="3" width="560" bordercolordark="#003366" bordercolorlight="#C0C0C0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td height="66" width="153"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"> <p>Date of issue:................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Index Ref No:...............</p>
<p> </p>
<p>DOH Code:..................</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<!--mstheme--></font></td>
<td height="66" width="367"><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica"><p align="justify">IF YOU ARE GIVEN THIS CONTACT
SLIP YOU NEED TO ATTEND A GENITOURINARY MEDICINE CLINIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PRESENTING
THIS FORM WILL ENABLE THE MEDICAL STAFF TO GIVE YOU THE CARE YOU NEED </p>
<p>Ref No:........................ DOH Code: .................... Date of Issue:
......................</p>
<p>Clinic Name:</p>
<p>Address: Map and travel</p>
<p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx information</p>
<p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p>
<p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p>
<p>Tel No for advice and </p>
<p>appointments:</p>
<p>If you are unable to attend this clinic, please telephone the above number for
information about your local services </p>
<p>Men are advised to avoid passing urine for 2 to 3 hours before attending the clinic</p>
<!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><!--mstheme--><font face="verdana, Arial, Helvetica">
<p> <a href="../professional_interest/slips"><img src="../images/topengl.gif" alt="wpe2.gif (959 bytes)" width="27" height="27"></a> </p>
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