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Partner Notification and Contact Tracing in the UK — A Guide for PLAB 2 Candidates

Updated: Jun 26

Understanding partner notification and contact tracing in the UK is vital. These principles are core to public health, sexual health management, and ethical practice — and they frequently appear in PLAB 2 scenarios.


What is Partner Notification?

Partner notification (also called contact tracing) is the process of:

  • Informing a patient's current and past sexual partners about possible exposure to a sexually transmitted infection (STI)

  • Advising them to seek testing, counselling, and treatment


✅ Why It Matters

  • Prevents reinfection of the index patient

  • Stops onward transmission

  • Helps in early identification of asymptomatic infections

  • Critical for controlling outbreaks


🔍 Who Does It?

  • GUM clinics have specialist health advisers trained in contact tracing

  • GPs and primary care can initiate it, but complex cases should be referred to GUM


📜 Conditions That Require Partner Notification

STI

Notification Required?

Chlamydia

✅ Yes

Gonorrhoea

✅ Yes

Syphilis

✅ Yes

Trichomoniasis

✅ Yes

LGV (Lymphogranuloma venereum)

✅ Yes

Chancroid

✅ Yes

Pubic lice

✅ Yes

HIV

✅ Yes (see special case)

Hepatitis B/C (sexual route)

✅ Yes

🚫 STIs That Don’t Require Partner Notification

Condition

Notification Required?

Genital herpes (HSV)

❌ No

Genital warts (HPV)

❌ No

Candidiasis

❌ No

Bacterial vaginosis (BV)

❌ No


🔒 Special Section: Confidentiality & Patient Refusal


✅ Key Principles (GMC Guidance):

  • Patient information is confidential, including STI and HIV status.

  • You must try to obtain consent for partner notification.

  • You should encourage disclosure and offer anonymous contact tracing via GUM clinics.


⚠️ What If the Patient Refuses?

Scenario

Action

STI (e.g. chlamydia, syphilis)

Encourage disclosure. If refusal persists, refer to GUM clinic for support. Do not breach confidentiality yourself.

HIV, and patient refuses to inform partner at risk

- Try to persuade the patient.


 - Offer anonymous tracing.


 - If serious risk persists and patient still refuses → you may breach confidentiality, but only after careful risk-benefit assessment and informing the patient.

No serious or immediate risk

Respect confidentiality. Document all discussions.

✅ Any breach of confidentiality must be justified, proportionate, and documented clearly.


📚 PLAB 2 Case Triggers

  • "Patient with HIV refuses to tell partner" → Offer anonymous tracing, document refusal, consider justified breach only if serious risk

  • "Positive chlamydia test, patient embarrassed to tell partner" → Encourage, refer to GUM for support

  • "Genital warts — does she have to tell her partner?" → ❌ No, not required


🧠 Summary for PLAB 2

  • Consent is central to partner notification

  • GUM clinics offer anonymous and supported contact tracing

  • Confidentiality overrides notification, unless serious harm is likely

  • You are expected to document all discussions and decisions


📚 References


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