TOC THREE WAYS: AN EVALUATION OF METHODS OF TEST OF CURE FOR GC AND MG

ABSTRACT

The covid-19 pandemic restricted face-to-face contact with patients and encouraged new ways of working. Patients needing test-of-cure (TOC) for gonorrhoea (GC) and mycoplasma genitalium (MG) could no longer attend clinics. Staff offered alternatives, advising patients to order tests from our on-line service (usually if they were already registered) or providing patient with a 'blue bag' test kit and prepaid envelope to send to the laboratory from home. Methods Reviewed all patients diagnosed with GC or MG August 2020-January 2021 and compared TOC rates depending on method used Results 164 patients diagnosed with MG or GC, attending iCasH Cambs for treatment TOC achieved for 77% of all patients, GC 80% (106/136), MG 75% (21/28), it was 88% for patients with a documented follow-up plan in the records. Discussion Return rates were similar to the previous year and well above national average. Home sampling for TOC is an effective and acceptable method for patients. TOC kits provided by the clinic allowed testing for infections such as MG and avoided the need for a new patient to register on the on-line testing platform. Return rates were slightly higher using the 'blue bag' system than the on-line platform (87% vs 82%). While the difference was not statistically significant, providing samples for TOC in clinic might be preferable for some patients. (Table Presented).