Use of sexual health services
You can get contraceptives from your GP. People who prefer this do so because they've built a good relationship with their doctor over the years , although sometimes people are put off because receptionists may seem nosey .
Some prefer to use alternative NHS services, particularly if they don't feel comfortable at the doctors. You may be less likely to bump into people you know at the Family Planning or Brook clinic (see 'Difficulty accessing services in rural areas' and ' Difficulty accessing services in inner city areas').
Teenagers are often worried about confidentiality at their doctors and may be nervous, embarrassed or even scared the first time they approach family planning and sexual health services . If the receptionist seems unsympathetic it may put people off even more .
People often prefer Family Planning or Brook clinics because of their 'walk in' system, handy opening hours, specialised knowledge, appointments available at short notice, more time with staff who give clear explanations and answers to questions . Some women like the fact that most clinics have mostly female staff, who they feel more comfortable with. .
It's possible to use different services for different needs, such as GPs for a smear test, Family Planning for contraceptives, and sexual health (or GUM) clinics for STI checkups (see 'STIs: tests and results'). People who had used GUM clinics usually liked the 'easy going' attitude of the staff, but some people were concerned about confidentiality or found the personal questions were embarrassing .
Several people we talked to had attended sexual health youth projects in their neighbourhoods*. These projects provide services such as counselling, advice and information and free condoms, and were sometimes seen as more informal and friendly than a hospital .
People said sexual health services need to be better publicised, that there are lots of young men and women 'out there' that do not know what is available and how to access it. Equally important young people need to know their rights regarding confidentiality.
*The names of the community projects that respondents recommend to others are include in the resources section on this site.
Last reviewed April 2010.
Last updated April 2010.