National Audit Group

Membership

Dr Natasha Astill, Chair
Dr Vanessa Apea, Vice-Chair
Ms Lucie Ralph, Audit Co-Ordinator

Update on the 2026 BASHH National Audit

The topic for the 2026 BASHH National Audit has been set as the management of anogenital herpes. The audit will concentrate on the management of anogenital herpes including specific considerations in pregnancy. Key areas of focus will include relevant policies, processes, and clinical practices for the management of anogenital herpes, in line with the BASHH 2024 Herpes simplex guidelines and the updated 2024 joint HSV in Pregnancy guidelines from BASHH and the Royal College of Obstetricians.

The audit is currently in the design phase, and further details regarding the data collection period will be shared in due course.

BASHH Regional Audit Chairs

Anglia: Helen Pollitt

Cheshire & Mersey: Kirsten Michie

Essex: Malaki Ramogi

North Thames: Vanessa Apea

Northern: Rachael Viney

Northern Ireland: Emma Mccarty

North-West: Elizabeth Nicol

Oxford: Nisha Pal

Scotland: Sally Wielding

South-East Thames: Soe Aung

South-West: Sophia Davies

South-West Thames: Ceri Slater

Trent: Rasha Omer

Wales: Sian Warren

Wessex: Alison Blume

West Midlands: Lisa Goodall

Yorkshire: Natasha Astill

Reflection from a pre-specialty representative on her reasons for getting involved and her experience in the group

'Being the inaugural pre-specialty representative for the BASHH National Audit Group has been an incredibly rewarding experience. This unique role reflects the growing recognition of the importance of early-career clinicians in shaping the future of sexual health services. The role also embodies the value of inclusion and diversity in clinical governance, ensuring that perspectives from all stages of a clinician's professional journey are considered. It has provided an essential platform for me to contribute to national initiatives, and engage in my own clinical development. Participating in the national audit has deepened my understanding of the crucial role audits play in shaping healthcare practices. It has been great for my career progression, continuing education, and leadership development. There is space to progress this role further to act as a conduit between a greater number of pre-speciality doctors and more experienced members of the audit group, fostering an environment of mentorship, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.'

Objectives

National audits of clinical practice in sexual health/genitourinary medicine clinics against the BASHH Clinical Effectiveness Group (CEG) National Guidelines
A forum to discuss national and regional audit programmes
Response to requests for national audits by the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV
Specification of key auditable outcomes for the common genitourinary conditions, using the clinical guidelines of the CEG as the standard of care

Significant activities

The analysis and reports completed for the postponed National audit of HIV testing in sexual health services (clinic attenders not tested for HIV).
Planning commenced for the joint BHIVA-BASHH 2025 National audit of Partner Notification.
Following Dr Vanessa Apea’s departure as Chair, Dr Natasha Astill was successfully appointed to succeed her in the role.
Liaison with Clinical Effectiveness Group and reviewing and advising on auditable outcomes for the Neisseria gonorrhoeae, DoxyPEP, and Mgen guidelines.

National Audit Reports

2025 Partner notification presentation.

2024 HIV testing presentation

2022 National audit of Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen)

2021 National audit of HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) pathways

2020 2020 National Audit of Gonorrhoea Management

2019 National Audit of Timelines to be Seen, Test Results and Treatment

2018 HIV partner notification (re-audit)

2017 Syphilis Management

2016 STI/HIV screening and risk assessment

2015 People under 16 attending sexual health services - Link Two

2014 Genital Herpes Management

2013 HIV partner notification

2012 Asymptomatic screening in genitourinary medicine clinics - Link Two

2011 Key Performance Indicators in the BASHH MedFASH Standards for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections

2010 Sexual History Taking (re-audit)

2009 Asymptomatic Screening

2008 Sexual History Taking

2007 Chlamydia

2006 Sexual Health of People With HIV

2005 Offering of HIV antibody testing to men who have sex with men

2004 Early Syphilis

2003 Gonorrhoea

Performance/Outputs in the year 2024-2025

Presentation of the 2024 National HIV Testing Audit via BASHH webinar
Dissemination of individualised reports from 2024 National HIV Testing Audit

Future plans

A journal article based on the findings of the 2024 National HIV Testing Audit will be developed and submitted for publication.
Presentation of the BHIVA-BASHH 2025 National audit of Partner Notification and dissemination of individualised reports to participating services.
Undertake revisions of both Terms of Reference and Roles & Responsibilities of the Regional Audit Chairs in response to changes in service delivery post Covid.
Ongoing work to map of key topics for audit based on the HIV Action Plan, BASHH standards, Sexual Health Strategy and PrEP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, as well as BASHH guidelines

Members

Natasha Astill

Chair

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