Important information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Due to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the UK and the recent announcement asking for people to stay at home, all our services are severely affected. We are restricting face-to-face consultations to essential services only and we have had to significantly reduce the provision of routine contraception across our service.

Our decision is based on advice that has been issued from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Public Health England, NHS England, BHIVA, and BASHH. The recommendations include restrictions in face-to-face contact with healthcare professionals, and the expansion of remote (online/telephone) consultations and prescribing.

Appointments

Before calling us, please read the advice sections below regarding your contraception and STI testing options.

We are now providing all patients with a telephone triage consultation: only urgent or complex patient cases will be seen on a face to face basis.

You can access telephone triage to get help with:

Emergency contraception
Supply of contraceptive pills (for collection from the service) for either individuals requesting to start contraception, or Individuals already established on a contraceptive method
Supply of contraceptive pills (for collection from the service) for either individuals requesting to start contraception, or Individuals already established on a contraceptive method
Complications arising from contraception – e.g. significant coil pain, implant pain, significant signs of infection or serious adverse side effects, any patient identified high risk
Options for patients who normally have contraceptive injections (Depo-provera)
Advice and referral for abortion care
Advice on treatment for any patients with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections

What services have temporarily stopped?

In line with current guidance, we have temporarily ceased the provision of the following procedures:

All routine provision of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) – this includes the removal and fitting of IUD/IUS devices (coils) and contraceptive implants (Nexplanon): patients will be offered alternate contraception methods (POP contraceptive pills, condoms)
Cervical screening
Vasectomies
STI screening of patients with no symptoms (‘asymptomatic patients’) however, a postal testing kit can be ordered, please see advice below.

Emergency Contraception

If you need EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION you have the following options:

Contact us on the clinic number below
Contact your GP
Please see the links below to show where you can access emergency contraception in your area:
- Emergency Contraception in North and North East Lincolnshire
- Emergency Contraception in Teesside
- Emergency Contraception in Oldham, Bury and Rochdale
- Emergency Contraception in Cheshire West and Chester

Like all other health care providers, both GPs/Pharmacies are very busy at the moment, so please call ahead and make sure someone is there to help you.

Online Services

We offer Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV and Syphilis postal testing for people over 16 without any symptoms or specific concerns, living in a Virgin Care sexual health service area. Please order your kits here

If you are under 16, have symptoms or would like other STI tests, please call your local clinic

PrEP

Due to the current Covid-19 situation we are not able to run our routine PrEP appointments. We are therefore planning to run a remote service using postal testing and extended prescriptions to support patients

With the current social distancing guidance, we recognise many of you will no longer be sexually active and may choose to stop taking PrEP during this time. Click here for advice on stopping and starting PrEP.

For those who are taking PrEP, we recommend a test every three months and most importantly an HIV test. We can offer postal testing to service users of the areas we cover

What should I do if my IUD / IUS (coil) or Implant is due for changing & I can’t get an appointment during the COVID 19 crisis?

The current Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Health gives device by device guidance on the length of time that contraceptive devices can be left in-situ.

There is no evidence that leaving an IUD, IUS or Implant in for longer than its licence is harmful. Most methods can be used for longer than their licence, with a very small risk of pregnancy. If you are worried, please use additional precautions – we are happy to offer you further advice if required.

Arrangements for replacement of coils and implants can be made once the current COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Sexual Health Clinics

All smaller spoke clinics are currently not running; we are operating from all our main clinic hub services. Hub clinics can be contacted by telephone.

Please contact your local clinic if you require further advice or an appointment.

0300 330 1122 for Teesside and North and North East Lincolnshire residents
0300 303 8565 for Oldham, Bury and Rochdale residents
0300 247 0020 for Cheshire West and Chester residents

Please note that you will be virtually assessed taking into consideration clinical need and asked a series of screening questions around COVID-19, this is to help keep our patients and colleagues safe.

More information

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do. Please follow Government advice published on the NHS website..

Do not visit any of our facilities and please call us to cancel your appointment if you have:

A high temperature, meaning you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
A new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
You live with someone displaying any of the above symptoms

The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. 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 as normal, for more information please see the UK Government website.

Please see below for further information on Coronavirus covid-19 for people living with HIV:

Look after your mental health - support and guidance is available to access on line at Every Mind Matters

Click here if you are a women seeking contraception, abortion and other sexual and reproductive healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How did you find the postal testing process?