Guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Guidance on attending Sefton Sexual Health services Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Sexual and Reproductive Health Patients

The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public with a clinical need.

From Monday 23rd March 2020 Sefton Sexual Health made changes to enable us to offer services in a different way to keep you and our staff safe. We are still open and can often provide support without seeing anyone face-to-face.

Sefton Sexual Health is open but we have changed the way the service operates to provide as many services remotely as possible. Routine walk-in sessions are not currently available.

Please do not walk in and attend one of our clinics. All face to face attendances are by appointment only.

Please call – 01695 656550 Monday to Thursday 9:00 am- 5:00 pm or Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Please be aware there may be a delay in answering the phone, but you will be given the opportunity to make an appointment to speak to a doctor or nurse who will discuss the options with you over the telephone

Following the telephone consultation, if a face-to-face consultation is needed, service users will be offered an appointment at either Southport Centre for Health and Wellbeing or St Hugh’s Bootle

If a face-to-face consultation is needed, please do not bring anyone with you as due to the requirements for social distancing there is not the space in the waiting room.

If you have a face to face appointment please follow the instructions given to you by our team to ensure that social distancing is maintained and please ensure face coverings are worn to maintain the safety of both our patients and staff.

Do not attend the clinic if you have:

  • A new, continuous cough
  • A high temperature
  • Loss of sense of taste or smell

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Only call 111 if you cannot get help online. For current advice and guidance from the Department of Health follow this link https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

If you want testing for STIs but have no symptoms please order a STI Screening test.  You will be sent tests for Chlamydia/Gonorrhoea.

For further guidance around sexual health during COVID-19 please see the following links:

https://www.sexwise.org.uk/where-get-help/help-during-covid-19

https://www.fsrh.org/how-to-access-contraception-coronavirus/

We have reviewed availability of all treatments and services and we are now able to offer most services to patients. If you have been asked to postpone any of your sexual health requirements since March please call to organise a new consultation by speaking to a healthcare professional.

For Implant insertion/ change or removal:

Telephone Sefton Sexual Health on 01695 656550 to arrange a telephone consultation. Following a telephone consultation you will be booked a clinic appointment for your procedure.

For Removal or insertion IUD/IUS or problems with an existing IUD/IUS or for an Emergency IUD

Telephone Sefton Sexual Health on 01695 656550 to arrange a telephone consultation. Following a telephone consultation you will be booked a clinic appointment for your procedure if indicated.

Sexual Health Self Help information can be found here.

Domestic violence support:

If you have concerns about domestic violence during COVID restrictions please follow this Link for help and advice including local support in Sefton.

 

HIV Patients

Following advice from British HIV Association (BHIVA) recommend following CROI 2020, there continues to be no evidence that people with HIV are at higher risk of COVID-19, or severe disease if affected, and no evidence regarding the impact of viral load or CD4 on either of these.

Please follow national advice as provided from the Department of Health We also advise that patients have at least 30-days medication available and sufficient supply to allow for possible travel restrictions or quarantine.

If you need additional medication please contact SPA 01695 656550 and we will do our best to support you with accessing more medication.

We will be moving to telephone consultations for patients who it is appropriate to do so and we will contact to advise you regarding your upcoming appointments.

For further guidance around HIV during COVID-19 please see the following links:

https://www.bhiva.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19

https://www.aidsmap.com/COVID