Your Rights

Before we start talking about who we are and what we do one really important point is to recognise that as an individual you have rights which we will always to do our best to support.  If you click here or on the image to the left then you can see a really useful document which describes these rights.

We hope this helps and if you have any questions about our services we are very happy to try and answer them.

Sexual Health Service

The Sexual Health service has a main clinic at Broad Street Plaza which is open 6 days a week and two smaller clinics, one at Todmorden and One at Brighouse which are both open one day a week.  You can visit any of these depending on which is easier for to get to.  At the moment it's important that you ring us on telephone number 01422 261370 to talk about what you might need and where you would prefer to attend, before you come to see us.

 

We also have dedicated HIV (A type of Sexually Transmitted Infection) clinics at Broad Street Clinic in Halifax and Portland Clinic in Huddersfield (Based at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary). If you would like to go to one of these clinics then please ring on one of the following numbers for more information.

  • Broad Street Clinic (Calderdale) 01422 261370
  • Portland Clinic (Huddersfield) 01484 347077

 

Coming to a clinic can sometimes be a bit worrying if you don't know what to expect so we've tried to give you some information that you might want to know in the list below.  Just click on the heading, for example if you want to know where we are then just click on the "Where are we" option to see maps of where clinics are.

Where are we?

You can click on the images to access google maps showing how to get to any of our clinics.

Disabled parking is available at all sites;

 

Calderdale Clinics, including HIV service at Broad Street Clinic

Broad Street Clinic; Disabled parking is available on Floor 1 in the multi storey car park and a lift down to street level is available by exiting on floor 1A (signposted Access to Health Centre Only)

Brighouse Health Centre; Disabled parking is available directly outside the clinic.

Todmorden Health Centre; Disabled parking is available in the large car park outside the clinic.

 

HIV clinic based in Huddersfield

Portland Clinic (based at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary); Disabled parking near clinic entrance.  For more information please ring 01484 437077 to get more information on how to access the clinic.

When are we open?

At the moment our opening times have had to change due to the Coronavirus (sometimes called Corvid-19) and we can only offer appointments after you have spoken with a nurse over the phone first.  Please phone us on 01422 261370

What does the service provide?

People can mean lots of different activities when they talk about "Having Sex" but some of the time this can lead to someone becoming pregnant so here at the service we can provide Contraception which helps to prevent that happening if someone doesn't want to have children yet.  Contraception can mean things like condoms, tablets or things like the contraceptive implant and a doctor or nurse can talk to you to see which one might be best for you.  More information on different types of contraception can be found in the further information section towards the bottom of the page.

 

When people have sex they can also sometimes pick up infections which can be very mild or more serious.  The good news is for many people a test shows they don't have an infection and even if someone does have one they can often be treated very successfully.  If you have had sex and are worried that you might have an infection then you can talk to us and if we need to do any tests then we can get this sorted out for you.

 

If you think you might have a HIV infection we can offer testing along with treatment and care for people who have tested positive for the infection (in other words for people who have HIV).  These clinics run within broad street and also from a clinic in Huddersfield.  To find out more about these services then ring on the numbers below;

  • Broad Street Clinic 01422 261370 (Calderdale)
  • Portland Clinic 01484 347077 (Huddersfield)

What happens if I need to be tested for a possible infection?

We can test for infections a few different ways and the doctor or nurse will talk to you about what sort of test might be needed, but there a few different types of test which might be done. This includes;

  • Swab; We might need to use something that looks a bit like a long cotton bud to gently rub where an infection might be.
  • Urine ('Wee') Sample; we might ask you to have a wee and then we would use some of this to test for infection.
  • Blood Test; For some infections we might take a small amount of blood so we can test for these.

 

You wouldn't necessarily need all of these and it is something that you can talk about with the nurse of doctor who you see.  Also we recognise that for some people it may not be entirely practical or comfortable to provide a sample of Urine whilst at the clinic, so you can bring a sample with you to your appointment. Please discuss this with our reception when you make your appointment to make sure a Urine sample would be needed as part of your treatment.  If a Urine sample is required and you would like to bring this from home then please use a clean, sealable container.

Can I ask to see a particular doctor or nurse when I come to the service?

We will always try to make sure you areas comfortable as possible when you come to see us and that might mean you would like to talk to a particular person, or someone of a particular gender. For example some people are happier talking to a female nurse and others might find it easier to talk to a male nurse.  This is not always possible at the time you would like to attend but you can ask about this when you ring us to make an appointment.

How are samples and swabs taken?

This section will only describe the tests which might be carried out and for most people the test which are usually done are;

Urine (Wee) Sample or Vaginal Swab

Blood Test

For some people it might be appropriate to have an anal swab and or a throat swab but this would be discussed when you talk to the nurse or doctor.

 

Process for a Urine Sample;

  • If a urine sample is required then you would be asked by the doctor or nurse to use our toilets to pass urine (take a wee!) into a container.
  • This can be left in the toilet for a member of staff to collect and test.

 

 

Process for a Vaginal Swab;

  • Usually this would involve a self-taken swab and the following steps are assuming you are happy to do this.  However where a doctor or nurse needs to undertake an examination then it may be they would need to take a swab from further in to the Vagina, near the neck of the womb. The doctor or nurse will discuss this with you during the consultation and explain exactly what they would need to do.  Please remember it is your choice whether or not you consent to this procedure.  Please click here to open an instruction leaflet

 

 

Process for a Blood Test;

  • You may be taken to a different room to have this done, which is equipped to do this kind of test, where you will be asked to take a seat.
  • Usually the blood is taken from a vein in your arm, just on the inside of your elbow, but if this is not possible then it may be that it comes from the back of your hand.
  • A tourniquet is placed around your upper arm and slightly tightened. This is nothing to worry about, and it just helps the veins in your arm become a bit more prominent so it is easier to take a sample of blood.
  • The skin is cleaned with a cleaning 'wipe' to make sure there is no possibility of any bacteria or viruses on your arm getting inside your body.
  • A needle is then inserted into your vein and blood will flow into a small tube. You will feel a small prick in your arm when the needle goes in, but this should not be too painful.
  • When the small tube is filled then the nurse will place a cotton wool ball on your arm where the needle went in and take the needle out.  Any bleeding usually stops extremely quickly and small plaster is put where the needle went in.

If you have any questions at any time during this test or you feel discomfort or pain then please tell the nurse.

 

 

What happens when I arrive at Clinic?

Coming to the clinic can sometimes feel a daunting or scary at first but everyone at the clinic is here to help you and try make the experience as comfortable as possible so the first thing to say is if you are worried then you can ring us and discuss anything you might be worried about before you come.  When you do come to see us then this is what will usually happen;

 

  • You need to use the stairs or lift to get to us on the second floor of Broad Street clinic.
  • When you arrive at reception you need to tell the person behind the desk you are here for an appointment and give your name.
  • The receptionist will then ask you to fill in a form to register you as having arrived and also giving the nurse or doctor a bit of information about you so you can spend more time in the consultation talking about what your concerns are and understanding how we can help. If you need help to complete the form then this is absolutely fine and someone will be very happy to help.
  • When you have completed the form please hand this back to the receptionist.
  • You will be asked to wait in the waiting room near reception until a doctor or nurse comes to the waiting room to ask you to come through to one of our treatment rooms. 
  • In the treatment room the doctor or nurse will usually ask you for some more information about you, and what you need. This part of your visit is your opportunity to discuss with the doctor or nurse what you need and any treatment you are given is with your consent.  In other words you have the control in deciding whether or not to take the advice or treatment offered. However, please be assured that any advice or treatment offered will always be what the doctor or nurse thinks is best for your health and well-being.
  • The next steps very much depend on what is discussed during the discussion with the doctor or nurse.  for example, sometimes you may need to come back to clinic for further treatment or you may be given some medication to take home with you.
  • If you are asked to provide some samples then the doctor or nurse will describe what is involved and how this will be done.  For example tests may include providing a sample of Urine (Wee), or a nurse taking a small amount of blood to test.  If you are anxious about this then please talk to the doctor or nurse and we can try make you as comfortable as possible.

 

Who might I see?

When you arrive at clinic there are a number of different people you might see who have different roles in relation to your care and treatment.  When you arrive one of our reception staff will welcome you to the clinic and pass over a registration form for you to complete.  They will also help you complete this form if you need a little help.  Once you are registered one of our doctors or nurses will then come to the waiting room and call you to come through to one of the consultation rooms. Once you are in the consultation room the doctor or nurse can give you the treatment you need.  There are pictures of some of our staff and what they do below;

Is my treatment kept confidential?

The short answer is yes.  When you come to clinic and talk about any health worry, or about something you might need, then this is between you and the doctor or nurse you spoke to.  The only people who can then see your information are people who are directly involved in your treatment and care.

 

BUT... there is a really important condition to this and there may be times when we will tell someone else some information you have given us.  The doctor or nurse will only tell someone else information about you if they believe you may be hurt in someway, or someone else might be at risk of being hurt.  This is called "breaking confidentiality" and if the doctor or nurse needed to do this then they would always try and talk to you about this first and only share information that they need to share.  For example they would not share everything about your treatment, only the bit to relates to why they thought you or someone else might be at risk of being hurt.

Can I bring someone in to the room with me?

Yes. We know that for some people coming to clinic it can be a little worrying, especially if it is your first visit, and we want all our patients to feel comfortable.  This means that if you have a friend or carer who you want to help you and provide a bit of support when you are talking to the doctor or nurse that would be fine.

 

If you would like some time on your own with the doctor or nurse then we can make sure this happens as well. For example, some people like to have some time in their appointment with a friend or carer there, but a bit of time at the start or end of an appointment when it is just them and the doctor or nurse in the room.  It really is up to you who you want in the room with you.

 

Virtual tour of our clinic at Broad Street Plaza.

If you want to take a look at what our rooms look like then you can see them through our virtual tour by clicking on the picture of our reception (on the right);

This will open a new tab where you can use your mouse to look around the different areas of our Broad Street Clinic.  The easiest way to use this feature is to use click on the left or right arrows at the bottom of the new page and then click on the pink boxes showing the different locations to see the different rooms.

Further information

We are also looking at our resources from an easy read perspective to ensure everyone can access information and advice they may need.  These have been adapted from NHS Forth Valley, who kindly allowed us to use leaflets they had produced, to offer local information for our residents.  There are a range of different leaflets and these can be accessed to read online, or print, by clicking on the following links. Clicking a link will open the leaflet in this window.

 

The following leaflets describe what Confidentiality means.

 

Family Planning Association

 

Easy Health Leaflets;

 

Choice support also produce a wide range of easy read information which has been developed in a way which makes some complex issues very accessible and well work a look

The way we talk abot body parts and different ways to have sex can be confusing and people often use different words to mean the same thing! However, there is a handy guide to help with some of this and and the link below will take you to a leaflet which describes different terms and what they mean.

Guide to words about sex

Contraception videos

The following links show different forms of contraception and how they are used.

IUD (sometimes called 'the Coil') and IUS

Progesterone only pill (sometimes called PoP or Mini Pill)

Combined Contraception Pill (sometimes called 'the pill')

Contraception Implant

Contraceptive Injection

Contraceptive Patch

Contraceptive Vaginal Ring

Diaphragm and Caps

Condoms

Female Condoms (sometimes called Femidoms)

Emergency Contraception

We don't have brook Clinics in Calderdale but you can get all these types of contraception from the clinic at Broad street or through our clinics in Brighouse and Todmorden.  Click here to find out our opening times. 

Healthy Relationships

Good sexual health can mean different things to different people, but one really important part of this is to have good relationships that make you feel safe and happy. This also means that you can make decisions within those relationships and you are treated with respect, but there are times where this doesn't happen.  If you are unhappy then it is always good to talk to someone, perhaps a friend you can trust, a support worker or someone like a nurse / doctor when you have an appointment.

There are some situations where the way someone is treating you is against the law and you can get help.

Domestic Abuse is the name we give to a situation where someone you live with or are in a relationship with is treating you very badly and this leaflet gives more information on this;

Forced Marriage is when someone is pressuring you to marry someone you don't want to.  This is very different to an arranged marriage where people have a choice to go through with getting married or not.  More information on forced marriage can be found in this leaflet;

Sometimes people have lived through traumatic experiences and they have been made to do sexual things they have been very unhappy with and this can have a long lasting impact on how they feel about themselves.  It is important to be able to talk to someone you can trust but there is some information which can also help in the following booklet;

Sexual consent is important in any relationship and you should be treated with respect by the person you are going out with.  This leaflet will help you understand what sexual consent means.

Gender, Sex and Sexuality

This section provides some resources which can help explain what we mean by these terms.

Gender

Gender relates to whether someone identifies as male, female or goes by another identity, Transgender is when someones Gender identity is diferent to their sex, which is based on what type of genitals you have.  This booklet provides lots of information on what this means and where you can get help if you feel your body does not match the gender you feel you are.

Transgender; An easy read guide

 

Sexuality

Sexuality describes who you are attracted to and this can include people who are the same sex or gender as you, someone of a different gender or you may not be sexually attracted to anyone.  All of these are ok and you have a legal right to be in a consensual relationship with anyone you choose, and get married or enter in to a civil partnership if you both choose to do so.  For more information on sexuality the following booklet provides a useful guide. (Please note booklets contains drawn images of sexual activity)

Sexuality; An easy read guide