ABSTRACT
Many GPs and nurses are increasingly committed to sexual health promotion. The central philosophy of general practice, the care of the whole patient and his or her family, implies inclusion of sexual health promotion at every opportunity. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) advises that family planning and sexual health services are 'an integral part of primary care', and that general practice should offer 'care and advice on a wide range of sexual matters and promote safer sex to all patients'. Safer sex means choosing sexual practices that carry less risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), HIV or unwanted pregnancy. The key advantage of general practice as a setting for sexual health promotion is that it involves one-to-one consultations with very large numbers of people. All members of the primary care team may be involved in sexual health promotion. Staff often identify these clinics as a time when sexual health promotion can be undertaken.
