A sexual health service in Liverpool is receiving more than 600 phone calls a day, as it plans to introduce a new booking system due to soaring demand.
Axess Sexual Health, the free NHS contraception and sexual health service for Liverpool, told the ECHO it will introduce a new online booking system by September. The move comes after patients expressed frustration over being unable to access services over the phone.
Currently, once phone lines reach capacity they are closed and then reopened the following day. The ‘triage’ lines are used to assess and prioritise patients according to their level of need.
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However, a rise in the number of calls has left the lines struggling to cope. On Monday, Axess Sexual Health tweeted: “Our phone lines have been turned off for today in Liverpool - apologies for any inconvenience and please try again tomorrow.”
The ECHO also reported earlier this year that a man had tried to get through to Liverpool's sexual health services for three weeks before giving up and going private instead.
Dr Martyn Wood, regional clinical director for Axess Sexual Health, said: “We are currently experiencing high levels of demand, with our service receiving over 600 phone calls each day. Once our triage telephone lines reach capacity they are closed and reopened the following day.
“We know this is frustrating for our patients, particularly when they have worries or concerns around their sexual health, and a new online booking and assessment system will be introduced by September to make it easier for patients to contact us.
“For patients who need to be seen immediately, we have urgent walk-in criteria in place in all of our clinics, so anyone with an urgent need will always be seen on the same day. We have also introduced regular walk-in clinics for those aged 19 and under across all of our services.”
The urgent walk-in criteria set by Axess prioritises patients under the age of 18, those concerned about potential HIV contact or in need of emergency contraception, as well as patients who have been sexually assaulted or those who have received a positive test result and have not yet been booked in for treatment.
The service is provided by the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
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