C-Card Schemes

[Sir_Dispensalot]

Does anybody have any experience with running one of these schemes in their PCT?

C Card, Bath - Condoms are free to young people with a C Card

i'm trying to help my local PCT pharmacist go about drawing a service spec up with remuneration guidelines etc as we both think it would be a fantastic to couple such a scheme with local organisations, EHC provision, chlamydia screening etc.
The idea is to promote the scheme eg with connexions, 6th form & youth clubs, family planning & pharmacies to increase access to contraceptives and advice - including opportunistic supply with EHC consultations.

Any advice / thoughts?

[Rafael]

Does anybody have any experience with running one of these schemes in their PCT?

C Card, Bath - Condoms are free to young people with a C Card

i'm trying to help my local PCT pharmacist go about drawing a service spec up with remuneration guidelines etc as we both think it would be a fantastic to couple such a scheme with local organisations, EHC provision, chlamydia screening etc.
The idea is to promote the scheme eg with connexions, 6th form & youth clubs, family planning & pharmacies to increase access to contraceptives and advice - including opportunistic supply with EHC consultations.

Any advice / thoughts?

i was trained during this summer to provide this service to children between 12-18 years old. unfortunately i was given a certificate( 1 hour training class) but my summer placement finished before implementing this scheme.

the program was run by teenage pregnancy teams, they sent some staff member to local pharmacies to 'train' for the provision of free condoms to young people up to 20 times. each time they request a free condom, they should present the C-card and you only have to record date of supply and # supplied.

have a look at this site under FAQ For Young People - Sexual Health in Kent - C Card

you need to get in touch with them and they will send someone to train the people in the pharmacy.


it is a good idea to obtain this scheme and link it with chlamydia screening, EHC supply and MURs as well meaning if someone is present for EHC, invite them for chlamydia screening, provide free condom as well, and if you are lucky enough, through an MUR.
i believe STEVE on this form could provide you with more info, his pharmacy were planning to run such a service suring the summer.

update us once the system in place
best of luck

[lamzee]

When they are with you, give them some info about implanon. No accidents that way. "Wear your rod with pride" and all that !

[Sir_Dispensalot]

we already have EHC up and running under a PGD in the PCT (thankfully my certificate came through so we now have 80+ hours a week with access at our store) so we saw it as a great service to integrate with the EHC service (and the forthcoming PCT funded chlamydia one too - no more referring to a clinic - we can simply provide the test packs supplied via pct - yay!) and a good way to help the PCT achieve some of its targets with relatively little cost outlay.

Would expecting remuneration at the retail price of the condoms be too little / too much, or should we seek to add a dispensing/consultation fee (obviously not a huge one) too?

At the moment the training aspect would be the least of our worries, and hopefully with the scheme dovetailing nicely into existing services should generate a bit of interest out of contractors.

The main hurdle would be 'selling' the idea to the LPC and the PCT (although the LPC is quite progressive and i can see good support from them).

[Rafael]

[quote=Sir_Dispensalot;20362]

Would expecting remuneration at the retail price of the condoms be too little / too much, or should we seek to add a dispensing/consultation fee (obviously not a huge one) too?
quote]

C-card scheme is a FREE service. i do not think you would get any remuneration for it as you get the condoms with a C-card printed on them, and whenever you want more, you have to request from the teenage pregnancy centre.

i am not sure if we are talking about the same scheme, but the C-card scheme i am familiar with, is free of charge to public and you do not get paid an extra to provide it i.e it is seen as promoting public health that all pharmacists should be doing.

to be honest from the way the system was discussed, it does not require any effort, the pharmacist does not need to supply the condoms himself, any dispenser can do it and it only takes 30 sec to give the condoms and sign the back of the card.

there is NO WAY the LPC would fund such an idea ( no offense Sir) as it is being run for FREE in a lot of pharmacies, does not require an effort or pharmacist intervention, unless asked for advice.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

thats all i wanted to know - i was under the impression that some PCTs simply let the c-card user have a certain number of 'fills' on a card for a small retail pack.
Obviously other pcts have their own pre-packaged stuff - in both cases however they would be completely free for the service user - the zero-cost to the service user is paramount in this scheme - nobody would take up the scheme if it cost the patient money.
Basically, because each PCT sets up the service on its own (or with collaberation from a neighbouring pct) then they set the parameters of the service so the difference in services between PCTs can vary enormously - hence the move to systems like the harmonisation scheme in the northwest of england for EHC provision. The only trouble is that the wheels of the PCTs turn very slowly with respect to harmonisation.

I certainly wouldn't mind if it was simply administering a pack for free - but if the PCT expected all pharmacies to do it for zero payment of any kind (even a nominal fee) i doubt many would be as keen as myself to take up the scheme.

An incentive has to be applied or the less far-sighted contractors may not give a toss, metaphorically speaking - after all, they have a business to run as well as a service.

As an example, the forthcoming rollout of the chlamydia service in my pct means we are supplied the postal testing kits for free, and are paid a small fee according to how many are returned by post each month. It costs the pharmacy practically nothing to do but the use of us and our time and resources is reflected in the remuneration. This makes it more attractive to those contractors who otherwise may have taken the view of 'let someone else do it - i'm too busy'

[Rafael]

just get the certificate Sir, ring and find out when someone is available to come and 'train' all ppl in the pharmacy. 15 mins vedio with 5 mins talk to inform you more about the service.

it is always good to get more certificates/accredited. Specially if it is for free and does not take any effort.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

raoul matey there isn't a service in my pct so nobody is there to come and provide the training - they certainly won't drive up from kent to give it! The point of the thread was that we want to try and set up a scheme, and i was looking for ideas on how to do it!

However, your input has been very useful!

Does anyone else have any experience within a different PCT, or has anyone been involved in setting up one of these services and proposing it to the lpc and pct?