The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) Healthcare provides a telephone advice and appointment service for people in need of support and advice regarding their pregnancy, future contraception and sexually transmitted diseases.

During our visit to the BPAS we spoke with the manager, two nurses and the complaints manager. Following the visit we spoke on the telephone with one person who used the service.

We found that staff were appropriately trained and qualified and provided a comprehensive sensitive advice service to people who were pregnant.

People had access to a robust complaints process and the provider sought the views of people who used the service to inform future improvements.

An electronic records system was in place allowing all staff dealing with people to be aware of their medical history and current health needs.

On the day we visited BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) Healthcare, we spoke with the registered manager, the nurse manager, a nurse and the client engagement manager.

BPAS Healthcare was a nurse led telephone contraception and advice line service. The service was offered to people prior to attending a BPAS clinic for termination of pregnancy. BPAS Healthcare also offered an STI (sexually transmitted infection), results telephone line service.

During our visit we observed how staff managed the telephone contraception and advice line and the STI results service. We listened to how staff interacted with people during telephone appointments and we listened to the advice that staff gave. We read the care records for four people who used the service that day. We saw how staff recorded the information taken from people over the telephone and how they recorded the recommended treatment.

We telephoned two people who had used the telephone contraception and advice line service, after our visit.

People who used the service were complimentary of the care they received. One person told us that, “It was easier talking to these people than my own GP.” Another person told us that the staff were, “Very thoughtful” and the advice was, “Easy to understand.”