Yes. Anyone can access our free and confidential service.

Our staff (nurses, doctors and pharmacists) work under very specific guidance to ensure that you are mature enough to understand any advice you are given and any decisions that you make about contraception.

No. We provide a confidential service to all our patients, including under 16s. Our staff have to keep anything you tell them private although they may encourage you to talk to your parents or carers.

If we think there is a risk to your health, safety or welfare, we might need to share your information with someone else, however we would usually discuss this with you first.

Yes. All our services are free. This includes testing and treatment and all forms of contraception.

Don’t be put off if the current method of contraception you are using isn’t quite right – you can try another.

Find out more about the different methods of contraception by clicking here

or call 01922 270400 to book a consultation.

We provide a confidential service to all our patients, including under 16s.

All information, including test results, remain confidential within the clinic and information is not passed on to anyone else. This includes your GP and any past or present sexual partners.

However, if your GP has referred you to WiSH with a referral letter, we will write back to your GP to let them know the outcome of your attendance. We may also ask your permission to tell your GP about any contraception medication or procedures, or if you have a diagnosis which may require more long-term medication. But it’s your choice if you wish for this information to be passed on.

The only time we may need to discuss your attendance with other care providers outside of the clinic is if we believe that you may be at risk of harm to yourself or to others. In such circumstances we would always do our very best to talk to you first about why we feel that this is necessary.

If you do not have any symptoms and are over 16 years of age you can order a free postal kit (by clicking on the link) – if you need further advice you can contact 01922 270400.

 

The age of consent in England and Wales is 16. The law is there to protect children and young people. It is not used to prosecute under 16s who take part in consensual sexual activity with each other. For example, if two young people aged 15 had consensual sex then they would not be prosecuted.

But, if an adult aged 18 or over has sex with someone aged 15 or under, it’s a crime.

Young people have the right to access confidential sexual health and contraception advice, including condoms and pregnancy, even if they are under 16.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be passed on through unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.

Anyone can get HIV, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation.

The best way to protect yourself against HIV is to always use a condom during sex.

You can also get the virus if you come into contact with infected blood, such as through sharing needles or injecting drugs or steroids.

At WiSH we provide testing, treatment and support for people who are diagnosed with HIV. Find out more about our HIV services (by clicking on this link)

PrEP is where someone who is HIV negative takes medication to protect themselves from HIV.

This can be taken daily or just before or after you have sex.

When taken properly, PrEP is highly effective but does not prevent pregnancy or getting STIs. It’s therefore still important that you still get regularly tested for STIs.

Find out more about PrEP

PrEP is available for free from WiSH but requires a health check-up first to make sure that it’s right for you.

You may benefit from taking PrEP if:

  • you’re an HIV-negative man having condomless sex with men, and other people who have sex within these networks
  • you have a partner (or ex-partner) with HIV
  • your partner (or ex-partner) comes from a country with high rates of HIV
  • you have condomless sex with a partner(s) and do not know their HIV status
  • you’re a trans or non-binary person and are regularly having condomless sex
  • you exchange sex for money, drugs, shelter or another reason
  • you are injecting drugs

PrEP may be particularly advisable if:

  • You’re a man who has sex with men and has recently had an STI (particularly in the rectum/anus)
  • You have used PEPSE
  • You use chem sex drugs

Call us on 01922 270400 to discuss your options.

PEP stands for Post Exposure Prophylaxis. It’s a course of drugs that can stop the HIV virus taking hold. It must be taken as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours (3 days) after sex.

Call us on 01922 270400 and we will arrange an emergency appointment with one of our doctors. This will involve a HIV test plus blood tests to check your liver and kidney function and make sure that PEPSE is right for you. You would then be closely monitored during treatment.

Find out more about PEP (by clicking on this link)

Exposure to HIV is a medical emergency and requires prompt treatment with a course of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

PEP may be initiated if :

  • you are the uninfected sexual partner of a person known to have HIV, to prevent infection after sex without a condom or where the condom has split.
  • PEP is generally no longer recommended if the HIV-positive partner is adherent to ART and has been confirmed as having a sustained (more than 6 months) undetectable plasma HIV viral load (less than 200 copies/ml).
  • you have had unprotected sex with a person in a high-risk group for HIV whose infection status is not known.
  • PEP may be offered to victims of sexual assault depending on risk assessment.
  • PEP can be initiated if the person presents within 72 hours of exposure and should be given as early as possible(ideally within 24 hours of exposure).
  • Follow up should be arranged by the prescribing team— HIV testing is recommended 8–12 weeks after exposure.

All people seeking PEP should be advised to attend for future regular sexual health checks.

Call us on 01922 270400 to discuss your options.