Routine testing is for people who have no symptoms and who have had a new sexual health risk since their last test. It can take up to two weeks for chlamydia and gonorrhoea to show up in a test, four weeks for HIV and twelve weeks for syphilis.

 Test and Go appointments are available by phoning the booking line 01904 721111. If you require contraception, advice, have symptoms or require vaccinations, Test and Go appointments are not appropriate for you please book a nurse appointment via the booking line.

If you attend a test and go appointment and have symptoms, require contraception or need vaccinations you will be rebooked into the next available nurse appointment. 

 For further information on vaccinations, PrEP and PEP please click here

Order a postal testing kit online

Chlamydia- free and confidential testing available for all

• Chlamydia is the most common STI in the UK and often has no symptoms.
• It is recommended that people of all ages are tested for chlamydia whenever they have a new sexual partner.
• If you are under 25 years old it is also advisable to have a routine test for chlamydia once a year.
• Please allow two weeks after a risk before testing for chlamydia – testing too quickly may not detect a new infection.
• To find out more or to order a free chlamydia postal test kit click the button below.

Order a free chlamydia postal test kit

You will be taken to another site, Preventx, to order your test.

 

Other STIs- Free and confidential testing for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and HIV

Some people are more at risk of coming into contact with STIs than others.

We offer free postal STI testing in North Yorkshire for:

• Men who have sex with men
• Trans people
• Sex workers
• Black African
• Injecting drug users
• People who have had sex with people from countries where HIV is more common

Not all STIs can be detected through postal testing – for more information click here.

If you want to be checked for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis in one test you can order one by clicking the button below.

Order a test kit

You will be taken to another site, Preventx, to order your test.

Please call 01904 721111 to make an appointment or see our find a clinic page for appointment times.

If you have had a positive chlamydia result and have no symptoms you can have postal treatment. Please call the clinic on 01904 721111 to arrange a phone appointment.

You can also get treatment from your GP and from some pharmacies. Remember that the treatment is a prescribed medication and may incur a prescription charge. 

Please read the following before attending for treatment:

Chlamydia

Gonorrhoea

If you think that you have come into contact with HIV in the last 72 hours please click here

  

If you think that you have come into contact with HIV over 72 hours ago please call 01904 721111 to discuss the earliest time to do a reliable test.

If you think you have come into contact with any other infection then you might need to have treatment. Alternatively, it might be better to test and wait for your results. Please call 01904 721111 to discuss the best option. You can also click here to order a STI testing postal kit online. 

If your current sexual partner has had a positive test result and is being treated please call 01904 721111 for an appointment or see our Clinics and Services page for appointment times.

There are no routine tests available on the NHS for herpes or genital warts. If you think you have come into contact with either of these infections please check the skin on your genitals for signs or symptoms. If there is something new that you are not sure about call 01904 721111 for an appointment or see our Clinics and Services page for appointment times.

We offer Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and HPV vaccinations for most at risk groups.

Hepatitis A:

• Men who have sex with men

Hepatitis B:

• Men who have sex with men
• Sex workers
• People who have multiple partners

HPV:

• Men who have sex with men aged 15-45. 

For more information on the HPV vaccination for MSM, please click here. 

These vaccinations are given where there is a sexual health risk involved. We do not offer vaccinations for travelling or for occupational health reasons.

If you need vaccinating please call 01904 721111 for an appointment or see our clinics and services page for appointment times.

If you're not sure, you can call 01904 721111 and ask to speak to a nurse to discuss your risks and the recommended schedule for each vaccination.

It can be tricky to determine what symptoms might mean that you have a sexually transmitted infection.

 

Typical symptoms for people who have a vagina include:

• Pain in lower tummy
• Blisters on genitals
• Lumps/warts

 

Typical symptoms for people who have a penis include:

• Pain in testicles
• Discharge from penis
• Blisters on genitals
• Lumps/warts

 

If you have any of these symptoms please call 01904 721111 for an appointment or see our clinics and services page for appointment times.

If you have not had sex or if you have not had a change of partner then your symptoms are less likely to be due to a sexually transmitted infection and your GP might be the best place to go for advice.

If your current symptoms appear to be the same as described for thrush and BV, and you have had no recent change in sexual partner then you can buy treatment from the pharmacy or a prescription from your GP.

 

Bacterial Vaginosis:

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of unusual vaginal discharge. One in three people with a vagina get it at some point in their lives. People who have a penis don’t get Bacterial Vaginosis.

It's not a sexually transmitted infection and for many people, Bacterial Vaginosis goes away by itself.

Please click here for more information on BV.

 

Thrush:

Thrush is an infection caused by a yeast fungus.

It's not a sexually transmitted infection but can sometimes develop after you've had sex. It can develop in the vagina and on the genitals.

It's a very common cause of unusual vaginal discharge – 3 out of 4 people with a vagina will have thrush at some point in their lives.

It’s unusual for people who have a penis to get thrush.

Please click here for information on thrush.

Consent

Consent means giving permission or agreeing for something to happen. Both people need to give consent before having sex, otherwise it counts as rape. Remember, it’s always OK to change your mind half way through. That’s true whether you’re kissing, touching, having oral, anal or vaginal sex, or doing anything sexual. You should never feel pressure to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. This video explains consent really clearly.

 

 

 

Where can I get help?

If you have been raped, sexually assaulted or abused there are specialist services to help you.

In the first instance please contact Mountain Healthcare (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) on 0330 223 0099 or the police directly on 101.

Mountain Healthcare can support you to have emergency contraception pills, a medical examination, PEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and support and guidance.

Sexual health can support screening for infections but this screening needs to be done within certain time frames. These time frames are between 2-12 weeks after the assault.

Click here for more information on help after rape and sexual assault .

 

 

For children and young people (0-16 years): Child Sexual Assault Assessment Centre- York Hospital

 

What is the centre for?

The Child Sexual Assault Assessment Centre (CSAAC) provides a service for children and young people from 0-16 years of age who have disclosed sexual abuse or assault or where it is suspected that it may have happened.

When a child or young person comes to the centre, they will come with either a social worker, or a specially trained police officer and one or both of their parents/carers. The child or young person can talk to the nurse and the doctor about what has happened and they can have a check up (an examination) to check they are OK.

The service covers York and North Yorkshire and is located at York Hospital.

 

How can I get to see someone at the centre?

The centre is only able to see children and young people who are referred by a social worker or the police. It is not a self-referral service.

 

 

Contacts:

If you only feel able to talk to someone confidentially, perhaps to help you decide what to do next, you can contact the NSPCC 24 hour helpline - tel 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm, please phone the police 999

Rape Crisis - Tel 0808 802 9999

24hr National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 200 0247 www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk 

Survive York - Office 01904 638813  Helpline 01904 642 830 http://survive-northyorks.org.uk/

Mankind - 08123 334 244 (for male victims of domestic abuse)

Victim Support - 0808 168 9111  www.victimsupport.org.uk

IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Services) - 0300 111 0777 www.idas.org.uk

Mountain Health - 0330 223 0099 https://www.mountainhealthcare.co.uk/

 

Police - 101-non emergency/999-emergency

 

Social care services -  North Yorkshire: 01609 780780, York: 01904 551900, Out of office hours: 01609 780780

Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is an anti-HIV medication that is prescribed to a HIV negative person within 72 hours of potential exposure to HIV. Ideally it should be started within 24 hours. It needs to be taken for 28 days. A&E departments are able to start PEP when the clinic is closed.

PEP is recommended if there is a greater than 1 in 1000 chance of catching HIV. PEP is not recommended for human bites, discarded needlestick injury, or oral sex. For other situations we offer a discussion of risks versus benefits for taking PEP. Please call our central booking line on 01904 721111 to attend the clinic within 72 hours of potential exposure to HIV. See our clinics and services page for appointment times. 

PEP is more effective the sooner it is taken, so please attend the clinic or A&E as soon as possible for a discussion if you think you need it. 

Please go to our page here 

for more information.