THE work of a South Eastern Trust’s specialist team has been raising awareness of the importance of sexual health.
The Sexual Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health team operates four clinics, including one at Bangor Community Hospital. The clinics run five days a week, Monday to Friday, and offer a phone first service.
Interim Lead Nurse Emma McCall spoke of the importance of having an ‘accessible service for all’, how the team’s aim is to ‘focus on access to contraception and the different methods of contraception available to people in the Trust area’.
Emma said: “We want people to have a safe and enjoyable sex life and we are here to give contraceptive advice. We provide a thorough consultation over the phone and will discuss what can be medically suitable for that person as well as their personal contraception.”
Emma emphasised the service is free, confidential, and open to all ages.
The Pharmacy First Emergency Hormonal Contraception Service is also free; it provides access to emergency contraception – or the ‘morning after pill’ – across 70 community pharmacies in the South Eastern Trust area. While an appointment for the service is not necessary, women may be asked to wait if the pharmacy is busy.
Co-ordinator with the Pharmacy and Medicines management team Emer McLean, said: “Those who wish to access the service can rest assured that a confidential consultation in a private area of the pharmacy will take place and the community pharmacist can provide a free supply of the morning after pill where that is appropriate. They can also provide advice on long-term contraceptive options and direct that person to other relevant services if needed.”
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The Sexual Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health team also provided a confidential service for anyone who would like a sexual health check-up for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs); one of the clinics is held at Bangor hospital.
For more information and for appointments telephone 028 9041 3796 or email FamilyPlanning@setrust.hscni.net (Sexual and Reproductive Health); there is also a sexual health appointments line – 028 4483 8133 and a nurse advice line – 028 4483 8392.
