An evaluation of the C-Card Scheme in Bradford District

NHS Bradford & Airedale Provider Services (formerly Bradford & Airedale Community Health Service) have established a district-wide C-Card (condom card) scheme to provide improved accessed to condoms and sexual health advice for young people. An existing condom distribution scheme currently distributes over 400,000 condoms per year through GP surgeries and other agencies in contact with young people. The C-Card scheme is initially being piloted over an 18 month period, alongside the existing scheme, to assess its feasibility. Prior to the C-Card pilot project a condom distribution scheme existed across the Bradford and Airedale district sexual health service. This condom distribution scheme was evaluated and, through this process, the staff involved in this scheme indicated that there needed to be a more rigorous system in place to keep track of what had taken place with young people. At the end of January 2010 funds became available to support a pilot project of the C-Card scheme, intended to eventually replace the old ‘ad hoc’ system of distributing condoms to young people.