Sexual Reproductive Health Career Framework
Downloaded content date
PDF created on: 14 Mar 2026.
Downloaded from: https://rcnlearn.rcn.org.uk/Testing/Sexual-reproductive-health-career-framework-Resource-Page.
Please check: https://rcnlearn.rcn.org.uk for a more up-to-date version of this content.Sexual Reproductive Health Career Framework
This career framework highlights the wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. Provision may be through dedicated services, such as integrated sexual health, or as part of broader clinical and specialist care.
Services include:
- integrated sexual health services
- primary care
- HIV services
- abortion care
- contraception
- maternity units
- prison services
- sexual health advisers
- forensic services
- health visiting
- school nursing
- military health care
- homelessness and inclusion health.
This framework also forms part of a broader RCN Framework for Nursing Careers. It is not a comprehensive list of all learning opportunities across the UK. Rather, it provides a framework to support career development in sexual and reproductive health.
It offers guidance on available options but does not prescribe compulsory education (unless specified) and should be used alongside advice from managers or career advisors in relevant practice settings.
Most services in this area of practice will be either primary care or integrated sexual health services.
Primary care services
These services are often the first point of contact=t for those needing health care across the UK. They provide a wide range of preventative, diagnostic and treatment services for common illnesses and injuries, acting as a first point of contact within the health care system, including contraception, sexual health screening, cervical screening and menopause.
Integrated sexual health services
These services provide a non-judgmental, confidential, open-access service that can meet the majority of sexual health and contraceptive needs, often by one health care professional, regardless of gender, background, sexuality and age.
For some services, this may include HIV; however, this is not always the case (although there may be other commissioning arrangements). For further information on integrated sexual health services in England, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the UK Health Security Agency (2023) have published an Integrated sexual health service specification.
For some services, this may include HIV; however, this is not always the case (although there may be other commissioning arrangements). For further information on integrated sexual health services in England, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the UK Health Security Agency (2023) have published an Integrated sexual health service specification.
Key points of the framework
- Includes careers in sexual health and reproductive health across all areas of health care, from primary care to integrated systems of practice.
- Recognises that sexual health and reproductive health provide opportunities for practice across both the public and independent health and social care sectors throughout the UK.
- Enables the delivery of evidence-based care across all these settings and recognising that this is a multi-professional service.
- Is for all levels of nursing, from health care support workers to consultant-level nurses, including midwives.
- Is inclusive of all genders and considers opportunities for working with females, males, trans, non-binary and other gender-identifying or “fluid people”
- Emphasises the importance of having a strong understanding of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and the complexity of sexual identity.
- Focuses on balancing knowledge, transferable skills and experience, formal learning opportunities, reflective practice and a passion and enthusiasm for the subject.
- Recognises national standards, making them invaluable for planning careers, developing competencies, and meeting requirements NMC revalidation (where required) and career advancement.
- Is inclusive of the UK's four countries in terms of commissioning services, government guidance, documents on standards and nurse education.
- Signposts to standardised courses available from The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), College of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care (CoSRH), British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and the British Menopause Society (BMS) courses.
