Marie Stopes first on Choose and Book

Marie Stopes International has become the first voluntary sector organisation to make its services available via Choose and Book.

The family planning organisation said GPs now have access to its termination of pregnancy services via England’s electronic booking system after a successful six month trial of access to its vasectomy services.

The services are not directly bookable from general practice, but GPs can give patients a Unique Booking Reference Number so they can arrange appointments with Marie Stopes and speak to their counsellors.

The organisation said it had decided to use Choose and Book because its clients often seek advice from medical professionals before making contraception and sexual health decisions.

Penny Greenwood from Marie Stopes International said the organisation was constantly looking at ways to improve its services.

She added: “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.”

The organisation said it was already working with eight parimary care trusts to provide guidance and information on the vasectomy services available via Choose and Book.

It has approached 18 more PCTs to provide support on its termination of pregnancy services on Choose and Book.

Nicki Sheppard, primary care and choice manager for NHS Swindon, said Marie Stopes International had made a significant investment in improving access to its services.

She added: “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.”

Dr Stephen Miller, medical director for 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.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health told EHI Primary Care that there are now more than 80 non-NHS organisations that have their services available on Choose and Book, but Mare Stopes is the first voluntary sector body to do so.