Department of Sexual Health,
Ipswich Hospital, Heath Road, Ipswich, IP4 5PD
Appointments, information & advice line:
01473 703264
Telephone is answered:
Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 5.00pm
Friday 9.00am - 1.00pm
Results only line:
01473 711011
Telephone is answered:
Tuesday 10.30am - 1.00pm
Wednesday 10.30am - 1.00pm
Your clinic number must be quoted to get results over the telephone
CLINIC OPENING TIMES:
MONDAY
FROM 09:00 WALK-IN (NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED)*
14:00 – 16:20 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
TUESDAY
09:00 – 12:15 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
FROM 13:30 WALK-IN (NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED)*
16:30 – 19:05 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
WEDNESDAY
09:00 – 12:15 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
14:00 – 16:20 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
THURSDAY
07:30 – 08:30 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
FROM 09:00 WALK-IN (NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED)*
14:00 – 16:20 APPOINTMENTS ONLY
FRIDAY
FROM 09:00 WALK-IN (NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED)*
Closed Friday Afternoon
*Doors open half an hour before walk-in clinics start, please arrive early as places are limited.
Walk-in clinics
Please note at times of high demand we may not be able to see everyone that wishes to attend a walk-in clinic, therefore it is advisable to arrive at the beginning of the clinic or to telephone before hand to make sure we can are still accepting people.
It is important that you do not pass urine for one hour before you are seen by the doctor or nurse if you require a sexual health check
The Sexual Health Department also holds a walk-in outreach clinic at the Suffolk College for students called Bodywise.
Bodywise Clinic Times:
Monday 12 noon until 2.00pm
Friday 12 noon until 2.00pm
For out of hours advice or information please telephone NHS direct: 0845 46 47.
If you require emergency contraception you can telephone 01473 712233 and ask for the senior on call midwife.
Services available in the clinic
• Advice, testing and free treatment for sexually transmitted infections
• Advice, testing and treatment for HIV/AIDS
• Contraception, including emergency contraception and free condoms
• Pregnancy testing and advice about unplanned pregnancy
• Hepatitis vaccination
• Cervical smears
• Rape and domestic violence care and support
• Help with sexual health problems such as loss of erection, loss of sexual desire
• Counselling
• Help and advice on any sexual, genital and urinary problems
• Anything else? - please ask
A GP referral letter is not necessary fro you to attend this clinic. We do not write to your doctors unless he/she has referred you here with a letter or unless you give us permission to do so.
Details of your visit are NOT entered in your hospital records (notes). You will have a separate set of records kept within the clinic, filed under your personal clinic number.
Your visit to this clinic is completely FREE and CONFIDENTIAL
What to expect at reception
You will be welcomed by a receptionist who will give you a registration form to fill in reqeusting your personal details and a questionnaire about why you are attending the clinic.
This will enable us to prepare your notes, ready for you to see the doctor, nurse or health advisor. Please give us your true date of birth and as many other details as you feel you are able. Remember, these notes are confidential and will only be kept in this department.
The receptionist will give you an appointment card with your clinic number on it. Please keep it safe as you will need your clinic number to receive the results of your tests.
If you wish to see a particular doctor/nurse or you would prefer to see a female or male doctor/nurse, please tell the receptionist or write it at the top of your registration form. Please note that you may need to wait longer until that doctor/nurse is available and this may not always be possible if only one doctor/nurse is working in the clinic that day.
If you arrive without an appointment, you may be asked to see a nurse who will decide whether you need to wait to be seen that day or whether you should make an appointment for another time.
What to expect at your appointment
You need to tell the doctor/nurse why you have come to the clinic. They will then ask you some questions. These are likely to include:
Details about your symptoms such as discharge, soreness, itching, pain, spots.
What medication you are taking or have taken recently (quantities, names and packets are helpful)
Whether you are allergic to any medication
When you last had sexual intercourse in days, weeks, months or years.
Was it with your regular partner or someone else?
They may ask about previous partners. This is normal clinic practice.
Any illness you have had, now or in the past
For women only - Questions about periods, contraception, pregnancy, cervical smears.
Remember it is important not to pass urine for one hour before you are seen by the doctor
The doctor/nurse will then offer to examine you and do some urine and swab tests.
It is routine policy to offer everyone blood tests for HIV and Syphilis.
Please ask if you think you need any other tests.
For the examination the doctor/nurse may be accompanied by another member of staff. We all understand that you may find it embarrassing to be examined. If you have not been examined internally before, please tell the doctor or nurse who will explain the procedure in more detail.
For women, the examination is like having a cervical smear test.
For men, there are NO umbrellas, a tiny plastic loop is put a little way into the urethra (water pipe) to take samples for testing.
Following the swab tests you will be asked to provide a urine sample.
You will then be shown to another waiting area whilst your tests are examined under a microscope. The rest of your samples will be sent to the laboratory.
The doctor or nurse will recall you when your preliminary results are ready. They will discuss them with you and whether you need any treatment that day.
The Health Advisor
Many people are asked to see the health advisor before they leave the clinic, who is a highly trained and experienced health worker able to give information and support:
• Explain the nature of your infection
• See that you understand the doctor's comments and advice.
• Answer any questions
• Help with any problems
• Advise you about whether your partner needs to be seen in the clinic, as they may have the same infection as you.
• Hear your comments or impressions about the clinic.
Getting your results
Results of tests can be sent by text within 14 working days.