Sexual health and wellbeing

The Rowan Sexual Health Clinic is located at The Rowan and is by appointment only.

At the clinic you will be dealt with by friendly non-judgmental staff, professionally trained in all sexual health problems.

Confidentiality is a fundamental component to the running of the clinic. Staff must adhere to strict laws regarding the use, sharing and transfer of patient-identifiable information, so any personal information you provide to the clinic cannot be accessed by any healthcare professional except Rowan staff and will be held in the strictest confidence.
The only reason why the clinic might have to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect you or someone else from very serious harm but staff would always aim to discuss this with you first.

If you have any worries about confidentiality please ask a member of staff at The Rowan.

The Rowan Sexual Health Clinic provides: testing for all sexually transmitted infections, sexual health advice, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, Hepatitis A and B vaccinations for at risk individuals and HIV testing. The clinic provides support and information for victims of sexual assault.

All individuals who have been a victim of sexual assault will be offered an appointment to attend the clinic for repeat tests as some infections cannot be detected for up to 12 weeks after date of assault. The clinic also provides treatment for infections should a test be positive.

Male patients should not pass urine for two hours and females for one hour before coming to the clinic.

For further information on sexually transmitted infections click on each link:

Chlamydia
Gonorrhoea
Genital Warts
Genital Herpes
Syphilis 

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus that can damage the body’s immune system so that it cannot fight off some infections.

The virus can be passed from one person to another if blood, semen, pre-ejaculate (pre-cum), vaginal fluids or breast milk of a person who is HIV positive enters the body of someone who is HIV negative.

Patients who may be deemed to be at risk of contracting HIV following sexual assault:

Male sexual assault – anal penetration by someone known or unknown to the patient.

Heterosexual sexual assault where the perpetrator is known to the victim and is HIV positive.

Heterosexual sexual assault where the perpetrator’s HIV status is unknown but they are believed to be high-risk e.g. IV drug user or from area of high HIV endemnicity i.e. >3% HIV prevalence (e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa).

Post Exposure Prophylaxis for Sexual Exposure (PEPSE)

Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is a 30 day pack of medication which can be prescribed to prevent you contracting HIV. This medication must be given within 72 hours from time of the assault. This will be discussed with the victim and a risk assessment undertaken at initial visit. Follow up appointments will be offered for victims to see a consultant during the course of medication.