Welcome to Sexual Health Oldham
We provide free and confidential sexual health services in Oldham including information and advice on all types of contraception and STI testing and treatment. Our service is confidential, non-judgmental and for people of all ages, genders and orientations.
Everyone is welcome and you don’t need to see a GP first. You can book an appointment online 24/7 or speak to us on 0300 303 8565. Our phone line is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
Due to high demand we have introduced a waiting list to access implant removals or fittings and coil fittings. If you contact the service to request one of these procedures we will add you to our waiting list, and a member of the team will contact you when an appointment is available. Thank you for your patience.
You may have heard about Mpox in the news recently. But what is it, what are the symptoms and how can you access help and information?
Services available at sexual health clinics in Oldham, Failsworth and nearby
Please click on the links below for further information:
- Our clinics
- Clinic walkthrough video
- Urgent help
- Rape and abuse
- Emergency contraception – IUD
- Emergency contraception – contraceptive pills
- Postal testing
- Get tested at your local clinic
- Express testing
- Getting your results
- Treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Partner notification
- Get free condoms
- Pregnancy testing
- Book an appointment online
- Psycho-sexual
- PrEP
- PEPSE
- Cervical cytology (smear test)
- Support with making a referral for an abortion
- Pride in practice
- Our performance
- Local links
Oldham and Failsworth Sexual Health Clinics
5th floor, Sexual health Oldham, Radcliffe St, Oldham , OL1 1NL.
Free patient parking – tickets validated at meet and greet – up to 3 hours
Failsworth Primary Care Centre
Sexual Health Oldham, Ashton Road West, Failsworth, M35 0AD
View on a map
Clinic walkthrough video
Urgent symptoms
If you have any of the following urgent symptoms, please call contact your local service on 0300 303 8565
- Severe stomach pains with heavy bleeding (women only)
- Severe pain in your testicles (men only),
- Very painful blisters,
- Very painful ulcers and/or unusual discharge from your genitals.
If you need urgent help during out of hours you can contact 111 or go to 111.nhs.uk
Rape and abuse
If you’ve been sexually assaulted, please don’t suffer alone. It’s important that you’re seen as soon as possible for physical and emotional support. You can call us straight away but we recommend you first contact your nearest Sexual Assault & Referral Centre (SARC) which is St Marys SARC, located in St Mary’s Hospital, York Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL (opposite the Whitworth Art Gallery). Their helpline is run by crisis workers and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0161 276 6515.
Emergency contraception - IUDs
Emergency IUDs are the most effective form of emergency contraception and can be fitted at our sexual health clinics (please call us on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment.
Emergency contraception - contraceptive pills
Emergency contraceptive pills are available free from our sexual health clinics, some pharmacies and GP practices. If you’re aged 16 and over living in Oldham, you can order FREE emergency hormonal contraception online to be delivered to your home. We have partnered with SH:24 to provide this service.
We do not offer online emergency contraception to patients under 16. If you’re under 16, you can pick up free emergency hormonal contraception from one of your local pharmacies, or contact your local service on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment.
Order a free STI test
If you live in Oldham and are aged 16 and over, without any symptoms or concerns, then you can access our postal testing service online. Our online postal testing service is free, and we offer Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV and Syphilis testing. Your postal test can be delivered to your home address or to your hub. Click here for more information on our STI testing kits
Postal testing is not suitable for patients under 16. If you are under 16 without any symptoms or concerns, please contact us on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment.
Get tested at your local clinic
If you are under 16, without any symptoms or concerns you can contact us on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment.
If you have symptoms or concerns, you can book an appointment online or contact us on 0300 303 8565 where we have staff happy to help. Click here for more information on how to prepare for an STI appointment
Express testing
If you are aged 16 and over without any symptoms or concerns, you can pick up an express test from your local sexual health clinic. If you are under 16, please contact your local service on 0300 303 8565 to arrange an appointment.
5th floor, Sexual health Oldham, Radcliffe St, Oldham , OL1 1NL
Getting your results
Once you have taken your test, either in the service or by using our postal/express testing service, your sample must be tested at the laboratory.
- If your result is negative, this means you did not have an infection at the time you took your test, you will receive a text message to advise you of this.
- If your result is positive, or we need to discuss your result/test with you, you will receive a text to advise you to contact your local service.
We aim to provide all test results within 7-10 days. If you do not receive your results within 14 days, please contact your local clinic on 0300 303 8565
Treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
If you find out that you have an infection following testing, then you may need to attend the service for treatment. Please contact us on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment . All treatment is free of charge click here for more information on our website regarding sexually transmitted infections and treatment.
Partner notification
If you’ve tested positive, your sexual partner(s) from the last six months may need to know. Many people who have an STI do not notice anything wrong and, left untreated, STIs can lead to serious health problems. Telling them will help them to get tested and any treatment they need and may also stop you from getting infected again.
Most health services call the process of telling your partners “partner notification.” It is a completely confidential process. Please click here for more information regarding telling your partner you have an STI.
Get free condoms
If you’re aged 16 and over living in Oldham, you can now order condoms free online. You can also pick up condoms from your local sexual health clinic. If you are under 16 you can access condoms through our C-Card scheme, please click here for more information
Lube is provided with all condoms issued.
Pregnancy testing
If you think that you may be pregnant it is important to take a pregnancy test. You can purchase a test from your local pharmacy or supermarket or contact your local clinic to arrange an appointment on 0300 303 8565. If you’re aged 16 and over, you can also order a pregnancy test online.
Book an appointment online
You can book an appointment online for the services below:
- Symptomatic testing
- To access a new method of contraception
- To change your method of contraception
- To discuss a coil or implant
- To have a coil or implant fitted
- To remove a coil or implant
- To have a removal and refit of a coil or implant
- For testing and contraception
We currently do not offer online appointments for the services below. Please contact your local clinic on 0300 303 8565 to arrange an appointment.
- Treatment
- Pregnancy testing
- PrEP
- PEPSE
- HIV appointments
- Cervical screening
- Diaphragm the cap and the vaginal ring
If you are experiencing barriers in accessing repeat contraception at your GP, please contact us on 0300 303 8565.
Psycho-sexual counselling and support, including support with erectile dysfunction
Psychosexual therapy uses an integrated approach to working with sexual problems.
What problems can be referred?
Non gender specific:
- Loss of desire
- Pain during sex or inability to have penetrative sex.
Males
In Women
- Difficulties with orgasm
- Vulval pain
- Vaginismus
- Loss of desire
This service is by appointment only. You need to be referred by your GP to access this service.
PrEP
We are now commissioned to provide PrEP, free of charge to all users who meet the eligibility criteria. PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis involves HIV negative people taking HIV medication as a method of helping to prevent HIV infection. Recent research has shown that if taken correctly, this medication is highly effective at preventing HIV infection. PrEP does not protect against any other STI’s, only HIV. You need to take other precautions in addition to PrEP to protect yourself from all other STIs. We recommend regular STI testing if you are taking PrEP, including a HIV test every 3 months.
PEPSE (anti-HIV medication)
PEPSE can stop HIV infection taking hold after the virus has entered the body. However, it is an emergency measure to be used as a last resort, for example if a condom breaks. Please call us if you think you need PEPSE on 0300 303 8565. You can get this from sexual health and HIV clinics, Accident & Emergency. Regular family doctors (GPs) don’t give PEPSE.
Cervical cytology (smear test)
Cervical screening (a smear test) is a test to check the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening of your womb to the vagina. A cervical screening test is offered to all women aged 25-64. Please click here for more information re cervical screening
You can now visit your local hub to have a cervical screen. Please contact us on 0300 303 8565 to make an appointment. Please remember to bring your cervical screen invitation letter with you to your appointment.
You can also visit your local GP to access this service.
Support with making a referral for an abortion
If you have an unexpected positive pregnancy test you can contact us on 0300 303 8565 to discuss your options with a doctor or nurse. Patients in Oldham can also self-refer for abortion counselling with the Greater Manchester Central Booking Service by contacting 0345 365 0565.
Pride in practice
Pride in Practice works to improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing care services. We are proud to announce that our sexual health services in Oldham, Bury and Rochdale have been awarded the Gold Award for Pride in Practice.
Our performance
Local links
- Early Break
- Marie Stopes (abortion services)
- St Mary’s (Sexual Assault & Referral Centre)
- George House Trust (support living with HIV)
- Positive Steps (drug & alcohol services for under 21’s)
- LGBT North East (connecting LGBT communities across the North East)
- Drop in centres & shelters
- Child Protection
- Zanzu
- Domestic violence and abuse
- Kooth - online mental wellbeing community