Is the service free
Yes, and that includes any treatment you may need that is supplied via the Pharmacy at King’s Mill Hospital.
Do I need to see my GP first?
No, you do not need to be referred to Sexual Health Services Nottingham & Nottinghamshire by your GP as you can ‘self-refer’. You do not need a letter from your family doctor to attend one of our clinics; you simply phone the clinic and make an appointment.
What sort of problems can our STI screening help with?
You can attend Sexual Health Services Nottingham & Nottinghamshire for tests if you think you might have a STI, whether or not you have symptoms (such as a discharge from your penis or vagina). You can also attend our clinics to be tested for HIV or for a routine sexual health check-up.
Do I need to bring anything with me when getting tested?
If it is your first visit, we will need to register you on our computer system so it would be useful if you know your address and postcode, and the name of your GP practice (we do not routinely contact them).
Service confidentiality
Sexual Health Services Nottingham & Nottinghamshire would like to reassure you that all discussions you have with a member of our team will be treated confidentially. We do not routinely write to your GP, however, it can sometimes be useful to share a summary of your health records with your GP or refer you to a different specialty to ensure you receive the best care; we would not do this without your express permission. You will be asked whether you are happy for us to send correspondence to your home address or your GP and, if you would prefer us not to do this but we need to contact you for any reason, then a doctor or nurse will discuss alternative ways of getting in touch.
In extremely rare situations, Sexual Health Services Nottingham & Nottinghamshire may be required to divulge your information to other agencies (e.g. your GP, social services, etc) should there be serious concerns about your health, safety or welfare, for example if:
- You are under 18 and tell us about someone who has abused you sexually, physically or emotionally.
- You are 12 or under and tell us that someone has had sex with you.
- Your life is at serious risk.
- You tell us about someone under 18 who is being abused.
- Another person’s life is at risk.
Whenever possible, we will inform you prior to doing this and give you all the support you need.
Who can attend with you
You can bring anyone you trust to be with you in the reception area and even to accompany you when you are examined by the doctor or nurse. However, if you choose to have another person in the room with you during your examination, we cannot guarantee that they will not share the information they hear with another person.
We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where our patients and staff are confident that best practice is being followed. Every patient is entitled to have a trained chaperone present for any examination or procedure. Should a trained chaperone be required, but unavailable, then you may be asked to reschedule your appointment.
For intimate procedures, such as examinations, it is best not to have children with you as they cannot be left without someone to look after them in the waiting room.
HIV testing
You can either attend our service for a limited screen, or certain risk groups can access postal HIV testing kits free of charge by visiting the SH.UK website (external link).