First of all, you'll be asked a few questions by our clerks for our records about your date of birth and address. Remember, everything is confidential and no information will be passed to anyone without your permission. They will ask what you are phoning for (contraception, information about sexual infections, symptoms etc.)
You will then be contacted later the same day by a doctor or nurse to discuss your health needs. Please note this call may be from an 033 or withheld number so please ensure your phone is able to receive calls from these numbers.
If you are 18 or under, you will then called by an out-reach worker first who will ask you questions regarding your relationship/s. These questions are asked to make sure you are safe.
We will treat your request as urgent and a doctor or nurse will telephone you as soon as possible to discuss your health needs and an appropriate appointment made for you in the clinic.
Different forms of contraception will be discussed to ensure you choose the best option for you. You will be advised about the importance of condom use and safe sex. The person you speak to will arrange a time for you to either collect supplies or have a procedure in clinic.
If you have no symptoms and are aged 16 or over and just want a sexual health screen you will be directed to a home testing service called FRISKY WALES – this means you can be tested for all STI’s including HIV and Syphilis without having to attend a clinic
If you would prefer not to receive a home testing kit then please let the nurse/doctor know and we can make other arrangements
If you have symptoms you will be telephoned by a doctor or nurse who will ask you some questions about your general sexual health and symptoms. You may be advised about the importance of condom use and safe sex and any other needs identified will be addressed. If you need to be seen in clinic an appointment will then be made for you to visit an appropriate site.
When you attend clinic you will then be instructed on how to carry out the self-testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea
Other testing may be offered depending on your symptoms.
If appropriate we may offer you treatment on the day you attend clinic, otherwise we may have to wait for your test results which will be texted to you within 2 weeks if it is negative. If the test has shown an infection our health advisor will contact you and explain the infection and treatment options. They will then arrange an appointment for you to have your treatment and to inform any partners that need to be tested or treated. They will telephone you 2 weeks later to check that you are better and do not have any other health needs.
Not all clinics have the same facilities so for certain types of sexual infection only the Cordell Centre in Newport can offer the appropriate tests
At present we ask that no children are brought to clinic to reduce the risks from COVID transmission.
If possible we ask that you attend your appointment alone. We understand that some people are very anxious or may require support from a friend and we will discuss this with you on the telephone and make appropriate arrangements for you.
If you are attending about a sexual infection we can speak to you and treat you no matter where you live.
If you require routine contraception we can only provide this for clients living within Gwent.
If it is an emergency we will do our best to help you: please call our contact line: 01495 765065
Our service is confidential, separate to your hospital and GP record, all our tests are taken under your date of birth and a number (unique to you) so that you cannot be recognised on hospital forms by anyone but sexual health staff.
We have a duty to keep you and your information safe.
If we have concerns about your safety or that of someone else at home we will discuss it with you. Rarely, we may need to get help for you from someone else. However, we will talk to you about it first
After unprotected sexual contact it can take time for a test to show that you have caught an infection: this is called the window period. We recommend that you are tested 2 weeks after any unprotected sex and then again later for infections that take longer to show.
Window periods are different for different infections:
All the results from tests taken in clinic will be texted to you. We wait to send the text until we have all of the test results back so you only get one text. If the tests have shown an infection you will usually be telephoned by one of our health advisors who will arrange for you have appropriate treatment from one of our clinics and will advise if any partners need to be tested or treated.
We supply condoms from all our clinic sites but you do still need to telephone for an appointment at the current time.