The Manchester Centre For Sexual Health

There are two serious consequences of having unprotected sex (i.e sex without a condom or where the condom breaks or slips off). These are pregnancy and acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Pregnancy can occur if you have unprotected vaginal sex. If you do not wish to become pregnant and have had unprotected vaginal sex you can attend any of our clinics, a family planning clinic, your GP or even some local pharmacists to request emergency hormonal contraception (otherwise known as the morning after pill). This can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, although the earlier you take it the more effective it is in preventing a pregnancy. There is another form of emergency contraception (IUCD) that can be used after unprotected sex so if more than 72 hours has passed it is still worthwhile attending your family planning clinic or GP as you may be eligible for this to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

STI’s can be passed on from person to person through oral, vaginal and anal sex if a condom is not used. If you haven’t got any symptoms – e.g. burning when passing urine, discharge/abnormal liquid coming out of penis or vagina, pelvic pain etc we advise leaving at least 10 days since the last unprotected sex before coming to our clinic for sexual infection testing. This is because, depending on the infection in question, it can take some days from being infected before our tests are able to detect it. If you have symptoms however, we advise coming to the clinic as soon as possible and to avoid sexual contact until you have been seen.

Please note we cannot reliably exclude being infected with HIV until you test three months from the last unprotected sex. If however, you experience symptoms such as fevers, prolonged flu-like illness, swollen lymph glands and a rash it is advisable to attend the clinic for HIV testing regardless of whether it has been three months since your last unprotected sex and to avoid sexual contact until you have been seen. Likewise for other viral sexually transmitted infections such Hepatitis B or C, we cannot reliably rule out the possibility of being infected with these infections until you test six months from the last unprotected sex.

Please let us know in advance/on booking your appointment if you need an interpreter so we can arrange this for you.

Some patients are reluctant to provide us with their correct name/address/contact details. We advise that you provide these details as often we need them to book you investigations e.g. ultrasound scan, refer you to another hospital specialist or contact you to inform you that you have an infection.

Confidentiality is a fundamental component to the running of any sexual health service. There are strict laws regarding the use, sharing/disclosure, storage and transfer of patient-identifiable information that we must adhere to. This means any personal information you provide us will be held in the strictest confidence. Your sexual health clinic patient notes are stored within the sexual health clinic and kept separate from the general medical notes used in the main hospital. Computerised information about our patients is coded and only staff within the clinic are able to access identifiable information such as your name or address.

When arriving at the clinic you will need to first register with reception. He/she will ask you to complete a registration form and will provide you with your own unique clinic number and create a set of notes using this number. The Doctor/senior nurse will then take a sexual history from you. This includes often quite personal questions about why you have come to clinic, any genital problems, information about your last few sexual partners and the type of sex you have. He/she may examine you and will advise you which tests are recommended. You may be advised to see a Health adviser – this is routine if you have been diagnosed with an infection, have been sexually assaulted, are under 16 years of age, require short-term counselling or are worried and wish for further information regarding your sexual health. Health advisers can help you notify your partner(s) if they have been at risk of infections to encourage them to come in for testing/treatment.

Please ask at reception if you would prefer to be seen by a doctor of the same sex as yourself. We will try to accommodate your request depending on the clinic staffing that day.

Males - Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, non-specific urethritis (NSU), syphilis and HIV (unless you decline). These tests usually require swabs being taken from inside the penis (and your bottom or throat if required), a urine sample and a blood sample (for syphilis and HIV).

Females – Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV (unless you decline). Women with certain symptoms may also be offered testing for thrush/candida, trichomonas and bacterial vaginosis. You may be required to give a blood sample (for syphilis and HIV) and sometimes just a urine sample - however often we require a speculum to be passed into the vagina so that we can take swabs from the neck of your womb/cervix. Swabs from your bottom or throat may also be required.

A recent audit at one of the main clinic sites estimated the average clinic visit to take 1hr 30 minutes. However some individuals will be required to stay longer e.g. if you have an infection that needs treating.

Some provisional results (gonorrhoea, NSU, bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas and thrush) may be available at the end of your consultation. If you are found to have an infection on the day treatment is provided. All results will be texted (unless specified otherwise) to you within 14 days. Alternatively you attend the clinic in person during opening hours to collect these results. No appointment is necessary.

Treatment for sexually transmitted infections and contraception (including condoms) are provided free of charge.

Yes.

Yes. We have separate male and female waiting rooms.

We do not routinely inform your GP. However, if she/he has formally referred you to us we may respond in writing.

We recognise that some people do feel embarrassed about sex but you really don't need to be. All of our staff are professionally trained to deal with most situations that can arise. They are non-judgmental and respect your privacy and dignity.

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