The Maudsley Hospital Psychosexual Service: evaluation of the current practice of an NHS service for complex and persistent sexual dysfunction

Abstract

Sexual problems are routinely dealt with in National Health Service (NHS) clinics across the UK. This is a service evaluation of the Maudsley Psychosexual Service situated in South London. It incorporates retrospective information on 609 referred patients over a three year period (2015–2017) with complex and persistent sexual problems. The majority of patients were referred from within the South London area of which 65% were male, mean age 40 with the female mean age being 34 years. Of referred individuals with varied sexual problems the greater numbers 78% came via primary care, 10% from acute medical service and 8% from acute psychological services. Of patients who were both assessed and treated 65% completed their planned treatment. These patients improved to below the cut-off point for distress and showed improvement in condition. The majority of referrals identified as white whilst those identifying as Black, Asian or Mixed Ethnic were notably under-representative of the patient community. Of those patients completing treatment 79% did so with a mean of 19 sessions supporting our treatment protocol for complex and persistent sexual problems. Given the financial challenges the NHS is experiencing it is fitting this evaluation indicates patients in this service are receiving care appropriate for their needs.

Keywords:

• Sexual dysfunction
• service evaluation
• outcome
• complex and persistent sexual problems

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Ms. Nelva Mason for her help in collating the data from the database.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Valerie Francis. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Disclosure statement

All the authors are currently employed by the trust that runs the clinic from where the data has been collected.

Figure 1. Psychosexual service treatment model.

Figure 2. Referrals and approval rates. Between 2015–2017 of the 609 patient referred to the service 65% (398 patients) were reviewed externally and approved for assessment and/or treatment for complex and persistent sexual problems, 34% (204 patients) were not and 1% (7 patients) were still awaiting a decision.

Figure 3. Attendance rate for all patients approved for assessment. During 2015–2017 of those 398 patients who were approved for assessment 81% (323 patients) elected to attend their offered assessment and 19% (75 patients) did not respond to an offer of an assessment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Valerie Francis

Valerie Francis (DPsych., BABCP (Accred.), COSRT (Accred.) is Counselling Psychologist, Psychosexual Therapist and Head of Service at the Psychosexual Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Sylvia Hejda-Forde

Sylvia Hejda-Forde (DClinPsych., ESSM Cert.) is Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Psychosexual Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Miriam Grant

Miriam Grant (DPsych) is a Counselling Psychologist at the Psychosexual Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Laura Farley

Laura Farley is an Honorary Assistant Psychologist at the Psychosexual Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.