Online care to take fear from city sex clinics

The clinic, run by the City Health Care Partnership, will offer real time access to a specialist sexual health nurse over the internet.

It is being launched in response to concerns that some patients, particularly young people and men, are failing to access sexual health care clinics in person over fears they would be embarrassed by a face to face appointment.

Jo Heil, modern matron for sexual health, said: “Hull has relatively high rates of unplanned pregnancy, chlamydia and gonorrhoea and the online clinic will go some way in reaching at risk people, giving them the confidence to discuss their sexual health in a way that is convenient, instant and easily accessible.

“Our aim is to enable people to access evidence based and safe information about their sexual health from a specialised health care professional in the comfort of their own home.”

After an initial online assessment, an appointment can be made for the patient, if needed, with the same nurse in person the following day.

The partnership said this would minimise any embarrassment and make patients more likely to attend an appointment, and mean they do not have to repeat their story unnecessarily.

Where a follow-up appointment is not needed the nurse may be able to send out relevant information or testing kits to the patient’s home.

The online clinic will operate out of normal working hours to make it available to those with work, childcare, or other commitments and will be open online between 1pm and 6.40pm every Monday and Thursday.

In addition, an email service will be open 24 hours a day from which patients can expect a response within 72 hours.

To access the clinic go to: www.sexualhealthvirtualclinic.co.uk.