GP training in trouble

Further to your news snippet (15 October), GPs refer patients to GUM clinics not for a prescription for proven chlamydia (we can do that ourselves) but for specialist services that we have neither the time, skills, nor funding to provide in primary care.

These include: counselling about promiscuity and associated relationship problems; testing for other STDs; contact tracing; full confidential advice on risk avoidance and contraceptive choices; and chlamydia testing.

GPs recognise the significant risks to the physical and emotional health of the community posed by chlamydia.

These risks should be addressed by properly trained specialists; just treating the presenting case leaves the epidemic to run rife in the community.