Dear BASHH member
Please find below some key items that have been discussed by the BASHH Board recently, which we hope will be of interest to you:
HPV vaccination in MSM pilot
The HPV vaccination pilot for MSM is now underway. The pilot is intended to assess how well the vaccination programme can be implemented operationally and whether it is cost-effective to deliver the programme through GUM and HIV clinics. A number of clinics, representing a variety of geographical areas, are participating in the pilot and the vaccine is only available in the pilot clinics. HPV vaccination should be offered as part of regular care for MSM attending the pilot clinics. The results of the pilot will inform the potential roll out of a national programme that will benefit the whole MSM population. Therefore, it is important that the pilot outcome is accurate and reliable. Full details of the pilot and the associated materials can be accessed via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hpv-vaccination-pilot-for-men-who-have-sex-with-men-msm
London Sexual Health Transformation Project
BASHH continue to provide input to the project via the Clinical Advisory Group but we are not involved in the procurement process. There are two main aspects to the project - an ‘on-line’ service and a ‘terrestrial’ service. All members are reminded that BASHH have produced guidance to help with tendering which can be accessed at https://www.bashh.org/about-bashh/publications/tendering-information/. BASHH also hold a list of consultants who may be approached to provide independent advice for providers or commissioners - this is available via the BASHH secretariat. There is usually a charge for this work which will need to be arranged with the consultant.
Health Committee - Public health post-2013 - Report
BASHH provided written and oral evidence to the Health Committee last year and the report has been published in September 2016, access at https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/health-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/public-health-post-2013-inquiry-15-16/. Of particular note is the input to the inquiry from Simon Stevens, CEO NHS England, who emphasised the extra demand that would be felt in more expensive parts of the NHS if preventative services, such as sexual health services, are not adequately sustained relative to need.
Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Groups
PHE has convened a new EAG on Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV, which BASHH has joined. The first meeting was held on 9th September 2016 and BASHH was represented by Dr Ash Sukhthankar.
Centenary of Public Health (VD) Regulations 1916 & Venereal Diseases Act 1917
A series of events are being planned to celebrate these centenaries ranging from special slots in the Scientific Meetings to a reception at the House of Lords on the evening of Tuesday 6th June 2017. BASHH members will be able to apply to attend the reception and further details will be circulated when these are available. The BASHH Scientific Meeting has been scheduled to dovetail with this event and will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 6th June rather than a Friday for that month only.
STIFIntegrated Competency
The STIFIntegrated Competency pilot has been completed and the feedback and evaluation has been very positive. This is a ‘bolt on’ programme for clinicians (especially GUM nurses) working in integrated sexual health services who are undertaking, or who have completed, the STIF Intermediate Competency programme. The programme has now been added to the STIF portfolio and anyone interested in doing this should access the STIF website for further details www.stif.org.uk. Many thanks to Dr Ashini Fox and the STIF Competency team for all their work on this.
Specialty Trainees
The trainees group is very active both with their research group BASHH T-CARQ (Trainees' Collaborative Audit, Research, and QI) and with their twitter activity which has attracted several CMT doctors to enquire about a career in GUM. More views and responses are available on Twitter @BASHH_trainees and @BASHH_TCARQ.
New HIV/BBV SIG chair
Dr Tristan Barber is now chair of the HIV/BBV SIG and his appointment was ratified at the Board meeting in September. Huge thanks to Dr Laura Waters for all her work and input as the outgoing chair.
Outstanding achievement award
A notice will be going out shortly inviting BASHH members to submit nominations for the BASHH outstanding achievement award. Nominations will be discussed at the December Board meeting.
BASHH website
The new website has been launched in September and has been refreshed to make it clearer and more user-friendly. It looks great and many thanks to Dr Martyn Wood and the web team for their work on this.
If you have any comments about BASHH or want to get in touch then it would be great to hear from you - please email us at admin@BASHH.org or president@bashh.net.
Best wishes,
Dr Elizabeth Carlin (BASHH President) & Dr Daniel Richardson (Conference & Communications Secretary)