Practice staff should bear in mind that different communities within the population have specific needs in relation to sexual health care. Practices should attempt to find out more about these communities sexual health needs (Health Promotion and the Sandyford library carry many useful needs assessments and research reports which can be easily obtained). There are policies and guidelines for working with some groups that the Health Board sign up to. These can be accessed through Health Promotion.

You can email Sandyford Library at: sandyfordlib@glacomen.scot.nhs.uk

Some key groups who have specific sexual health needs are young people; lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender people; asylum seekers and refugees; people from black and minority ethnic communities; older adults; and people with learning difficulties and physical and sensory impairments. It is worth bearing in mind that people in these groups are not homogeneous and have very individual sexual health needs. Therefore it is helpful to avoid making assumptions about sexual behaviour (eg. Not all young people are sexually active), relationship status (not all gay men have multiple sexual partners etc.), or sexuality, (not all married people are heterosexual) with all patients regardless of their age, sex or marital status.

Visit Sandyford's sexual health website for gay men:
www.steveretsonproject.org.uk
Visit Sandyford's sexual health website for young people: www.sandyford.org/theplace/default.html

People from these communities may have preconceptions about how they will be received in the health service or have had negative experiences else where. Practice staff should be neutral and open in relation to what patients may choose to share.