15 January 2009

Every year national charity fpa runs Contraceptive Awareness Week[1] and sends out campaign packs to a variety of sexual health settings. This year’s campaign, (9-15 February 2009) is called Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use). It aims to get every woman matched up with the contraceptive method that is best for her. For the first time, fpa is delighted to announce that every General Practice in the UK will now start receiving their free packs as well as contraceptive, GUM and NHS Walk-in clinics.

To support GPs and sexual health clinicians delivering contraceptive consultations every campaign pack will contain 20 new Your Contraceptive Choices leaflets that have been created especially for the week. They’ll also receive a unique and colourful set of posters for waiting room displays, and a briefing for health professionals written by fpa’s Helpline & Information Services Manager. All this information is included in the packs and is also available to download on fpa’s website www.fpa.org.uk.

Julie Bentley, Chief Executive fpa said: “We are delighted that for the first time we are able to provide GPs with our popular campaign materials. As 80% of women get their contraception from General Practice it is imperative that our campaign work supports this group of professionals as well as specialist sexual health ones.”

Packs will start arriving now and throughout January. fpa gratefully acknowledges funding from Bayer Schering Pharma for the extra printing of the campaign materials.

More information on the campaign, Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use) and is available from www.fpa.org.uk/News/Campaigns/Findingtheperfectpartner

Previews of campaign posters and leaflets are available from www.fpa.org.uk/news/News/Campaigns/Findingtheperfectpartner/Campaignposters

Jpegs of the poster images are available from fpa’s Press Office.

                                                            -ENDS-

For further information about the week please contact fpa’s press office on 020 7608 5265/5264.

Mobile 07958 921060.

fpa (Family Planning Association) is the only registered charity working to improve the sexual health and reproductive rights of all people throughout the UK.

About the press office

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[1] The first Contraceptive Awareness Week was run in 1997 by fpa to raise awareness of the issues surrounding contraceptive choice. This year’s campaign Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use) is hosted on fpa’s website.