Marie Stopes International introduces clinics to Choose and Book

London, 1 July 2011: Marie Stopes International (MSI) has launched a Choose and Book system to clinics allowing their vasectomy and termination of pregnancy (TOP) services to be available to GPs and other referrers. At present for vasectomy there are eight NHS Trusts working with MSI through Choose and Book and for TOP from July 2011 eighteen more NHS Trusts have been approached. Through innovation and partnerships, Marie Stopes International is committed to helping people access services and understand the sexual and reproductive health choices available to them. Clinics using Choose and Book are being made available for MSI’s termination of pregnancy service after a six month successful trial with the organisation’s vasectomy services.

Nicki Sheppard, Primary Care & Choice Manager, NHS Swindon says, “Marie Stopes International has made a significant investment in improving access to their services. There has been a great deal of learning for both the NHS and MSI in making clinics available via Choose and Book and it has been a pleasure to work with them in this sponsor capacity”.

The Choose and Book system embodies the organisation’s ethos of choice, and aims to improve transparency and accessibility of its services for referrers. Choose and Book enables General Practitioners (GPs) and other referrers to search and discuss treatment options with clients/patients before deciding on the best service appropriate for them.

Our experience has shown us that MSI clients seek advice from medical professionals before making contraception and sexual health decisions. The joint working between NHS Trusts and the Choose and Book team will enable patients to arrange appointments with MSI centres directly and ask questions or voice concerns with experienced counsellors. Thousands of GPs already have access to the Choose and Book system and have experience of discussing the best treatment options with their patients. Having access to MSI clinics on Choose and Book offers patients more choice.

Dr. Stephen Miller, Medical Director, Choose and Book said: “this is a great example of using Choose and Book to expand patient choice. Not only does it offer GPs and referrers more options for certain clinics, but it provides patients with more choice too. I look forward to hearing the feedback from the areas using Choose and Book for Vasectomy and TOP and hope that these services can be developed into other areas of the country too.”

Penny Greenwood at Marie Stopes International said: “our clients are at the centre of everything we do and we are constantly looking at ways to improve our services. By using technology and innovative schemes like Choose and Book we hope to deliver a higher quality of family planning services to our clients in the UK”.

***ends***

Notes to editors

Media contacts:
For media enquiries and spokesperson interview, please contact:
Email: press@mariestopes.org.uk
Telephone:
020 3219 8010
020 3219 8005
07769 166 516

About Marie Stopes International
The charity Marie Stopes International is the leading independent provider of family planning and sexual healthcare services. With a nationwide network of nine centres and our dedicated helpline, One Call, we deliver services to more than 500,000 clients each year.

Our friendly, professional teams are experts in both male and female reproductive healthcare and offer a wide range of services focussed on our client’s individual needs. We are committed to providing our clients with the expertise, advice and counselling they need to make an informed decision on their sexual and reproductive health while all our facilities deliver the highest standards of clinical excellence.

Our charity works to ensure that men and women across the UK and the world are able to access the information, tools and treatments needed to protect themselves against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Internationally, Marie Stopes International delivers family planning and sexual healthcare to seven million people in 40 countries each year.

For more information, please visit our website www.mariestopes.org.uk

Categories: Europe; Abortion; Vasectomy

01/07/2011

Marie Stopes International introduces clinics to Choose and Book

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