Sexual health services in West Sussex
What do sexual health services do?
The aims of sexual health services are to protect the health of the population, through:
- Access to a wide variety of contraceptives - all of which are free in the UK.
- Diagnosis and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).
- Diagnosis and treatment of HIV.
- Screening and treatment of chlamydia in sexually active young people under the age of 25.
- Access to counselling and choices around pregnancy.
- Provision of condoms through partner agencies and the C-Card scheme.
- Access to free Emergency Contraception.
- Provision of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre to provide complete service for people who have been sexually assaulted.
- Access to psychosexual counselling.
Where are patients seen?
All GP practices in West Sussex offer a range of contraceptive services including Emergency Contraception.
Specialist clinics for STIs, contraception and HIV are offered by West Sussex Integrated Sexual Health around the county.
Chlamydia screening and condom distribution are carried out in many venues, such as GP practices, sexual health services and youth venues.
How can I access these services?
Primarily through your GP, but sexual health services are ‘open access’ which means you can just turn up to many clinics without an appointment.
All sexual health services are free - this means that you will not be asked to pay prescription charges for treatment or contraceptives.
Services (including those for under-16s) are confidential - this means that whatever you talk about will remain confidential, unless you or someone else is at risk of serious harm.
