Sexual health & contraception
Here you can find information and advice about NHS sexual health and contraception services for all ages.
Contraception
Our healthcare professionals give confidential advice on all aspects of family planning. From free condoms under the c-card scheme to contraceptive pills, coils, implant and injections. Please use our online form or call our care navigation team on 0117 959 1919 to book an appropriate appointment.
Your choices
If you are thinking about starting or changing a contraceptive it is well worth your time familiarising yourself of the options. The NHS website contains lots of really useful information to help you make a choice:
See below or read more here.
Contraceptive reviews (Pill checks)
We offer women over the age of 18 years the option to complete contraceptive pill reviews remotely. This saves you having to make a face to face clinician appointment.
Please visit either our Bradgate or Ridingleaze surgery to complete an online pill check questionnaire using our POD.
This will also allow you to measure your height, weight and blood pressure and you can do this at any time we're open without an appointment. Please note the service only applies to pill reviews, not new pill starts.
Emergency contraception
If it all goes wrong, we offer emergency contraception at our surgeries. Do not delay! Book a same day appointment or ask reception to put you through to our duty doctor for a call back. If we are not open, e.g. on weekends, contact 111 to find the nearest service that can prescribe. Do not wait until the surgery is open.
Pharmacies supply emergency contraception too. Often free of charge with no wait for an appointment. To find your nearest, text:
'Pharmacy emergency contraception [and your post code]’ to 80011
You will receive a text response with the 3 nearest pharmacies with their names, addresses, telephone numbers and distance from the post code you’ve entered.
Other options include:
- Walk-in centres
- Sexual health clinics
- GUM clinics
- Contraception clinics
It is important to remember that emergency contraception is not a reliable method of contraception . At certain high risk times in your cycle it is unknown if any method of emergency contraception will prevent pregnancy. The use of a reliable contraceptive in advance is FAR MORE effective than the use of emergency contraception after intercourse.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
If you have had unprotected sex, there’s a chance you may have an STI. There’s nothing to worry about if you think you might have an STI. Most infections can be cured with the right medication.
If you think that you might have an STI, then you can contact your GP for help. You can also get tested and treated for STIs at your local sexual health clinic.
You should arrange to get tested if you:
- Have symptoms, such as an unusual discharge or spots
- Do not have symptoms but are worried that you might have an STI
- Think that there’s something wrong
Find a sexual health clinic
A sexual health clinic is a place to go and get tested and treated for STIs. You can book an appointment at your local sexual health clinic. You might feel embarrassed, but there’s no need to be. The staff are there to treat you and will do their best to make sure you feel at ease.
Anyone can go to an NHS sexual health clinic and your appointment is confidential. If you’re under the age of 16, the service is still confidential and the clinic won’t tell your parents.