Consultation and clinical assessment for advanced clinical practitioners in sexual health

Sexual health is an important aspect of patient wellbeing, and is just as important as physical or mental health. It is therefore a key element for all advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) to consider within their practice. Sexual health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2022), ‘requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled’. Despite sexual health being such an important aspect of wellbeing, health professionals still find the topic challenging to address within a consultation (Dyer and das Nair, 2013).

Sexual ill health has an impact not only in a social context but also in terms of financial resources, with an increasing number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) placing increasing stress on the health service. Iacobucci (2020) reported that, in the past decade in England, there has been a 249% increase in cases of gonorrhoea and a 165% increase in cases of syphilis. The incidence of STIs in England has risen from 425 933 in 2017 to 468 342 in 2019 (Mitchell et al, 2020). These numbers highlight the need for all ACPs, whether or not in specialist sexual health roles, to understand the principles of a sexual health consultation as they may have to support patients who present with a sexual health concern outside purely specialist clinics.