Sexual Health Service newsletter: October

Welcome to Issue 2 of our newsletter!

Garden Clinic provides free, confidential sexual health services for people of all ages.

We are pleased to share some service updates, new prevention options, our Maidenhead Tuesday clinic, and upcoming education opportunities for professionals.

You can read our latest updates online or, if you prefer, download our newsletter below.

Clinic locations

• Upton Hospital, Slough (open Monday to Friday)
• St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead (open Tuesday)
• Skimped Hill Health Centre, Bracknell (open Monday & Thursday) Wednesday date to be confirmed

Tuesday clinic - St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead 

Level 2 sexual health service from 10am to 6pm. 

Our Tuesday Maidenhead clinic offers a level 2 sexual health service for adults and young people. This provides an opportunity for patients to access a wider range of sexual health assessments, testing, treatment and prevention services closer to home.

Please note coil removals are not provided at this clinic.

New walk-in clinics

We now hold walk-in clinics for all ages at Upton Hospital. 

• Monday 12.15pm to 6.30pm 
• Friday 8.45am to 3pm

The young person’s clinic for under-18s at Upton Hospital will still be running on Wednesdays, 3.30pm to 5.30pm.

A walk-in clinic for under-18’s also runs at Skimped Hill Health Centre on Thursdays, 3.30pm to 5.30pm. 

Clinical updates

Meningioma and Progestogens

Evidence suggests that some progestogens are associated with an increased risk of intracranial meningioma (IM), particularly with prolonged use.

• View the corsh statement response to find out more about Meningioma and Progestogens.: View the corsh statement response to find out more.

Chlamydia guidelines

• Doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7 days now sole first line recommended treatment (unless contraindicated).
• For individuals diagnosed with chlamydia who report using doxy PEP, we recommend using the first line treatment out lined above 
• Recommended time for a retest changed to 2 - 6 months following treatment based on RCT 

• View BASHH guideline for Chlamydia guidelines: View BASHH guideline for Chlamydia guidelines

STI/HIV Prevention

Doxycycline Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for Chlamydia and Syphilis

Current evidence consistently demonstrates that doxy PEP is effective at reducing the incidence of chlamydia and syphilis among GBMSM and TGW. In the UK, doxy PEP is not expected to be effective in preventing gonorrhoea due to the high prevalence of tetracycline resistance. 

• Visit BASHH for more information around DoxyPEP

Injectable Cabotegravir pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

Injectable prep is now available on NHS, signpost individuals to the garden clinic for assessment.

• View NICE for PrEP guidance

Cervical smears for women with well controlled HIV infection

Women with well controlled HIV infection to have cervical smears every 5 years as per new guidance. Annual smears for new diagnosis and those with detectable viremia. 

• Visit BHIVA to learn more about cervical screening

Education and Training

Do you have any topics?

Please email us and let us know if there were any educational topics you would like us to specifically cover in our next meeting. 

We provide training and education for: 

• STI competencies: (intermediate/advanced), STI Foundation
• Contraception competencies (DCSRH, LoC in IUT, and SDI)
• CoSRH Qualifications | CoSRH
• Refresher sessions for LARC procedures
• Taster sessions for trainees/students