Sexual Health

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening

Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed STI in the UK. It’s most common in men and women under the age of 25. You don’t need to have many sexual partners to be at risk.

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis, which is found in the semen of men and the vaginal fluids of women who have the infection. If you or your sexual partners are infected and don’t get treatment, chlamydia can spread to other parts of the body and cause pain, especially in the abdomen.

It may lead to infertility (not being able to have children). You can get chlamydia by having unprotected (without a condom) vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is already infected. It can also be passed on by sharing sex toys which haven’t been washed or covered with a condom before each use. It can also be passed by a pregnant woman to her baby during pregnancy or at birth.

Getting Tested

If you’re under the age of 25 and sexually active you should be tested for chlamydia every year, or if you meet a new partner.

Fairlop Pharmacy offers chlamydia testing to people who live in the London Borough of Redbridge as part of the NHS National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP),

The test as part of the NHS NCSP is free, simple, painless and confidential.

You can do the test yourself and you don’t need to be examined. Men give a urine sample. Women may be asked either to give a urine sample or to take a swab. Women take the swab themselves from the lower vagina. The swab or urine test is sent away for analysis. It can take up to 10 days for the results to come through. It’s very rare for chlamydia tests to be wrong.

Condom distribution

The condom distribution scheme is for young people aged between 13 and 25, as well as those from high risk groups.

It involves the young person being issued with a C-Card. This is done in store and takes just a few minutes. Once you’ve been issued with your C-Card, you can use it at any pharmacy running the scheme to get more condoms. You will usually be provided with 6-10 condoms plus some lubrication sachets.

Please visit us in store for more details.

Emergency hormonal contraception (morning after pill)

If you have had unprotected sex, or your contraceptive method failed, then you can use emergency hormonal contraception (the morning after pill). It can usually prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of having sex.

Emergency contraception is free for young women up to 25 years old who live in Redbridge.
For women who are over the age of 25 and/or live outside Redbridge, we can provide the morning after pill at a cost following a brief consultation to assess suitability.

Local GUM clinics (genitourinary medicine)

For a full sexual health check-up, please visit your local GUM clinic. Opening times may vary, so please contact them before visiting.

Waltham Forest

Whipps Cross Hospital
Whipps Cross Road
Leytonstone
E11 1NR
020 8535 6535

Barking and Dagenham

Sydenham Centre
Barking Hospital
Upney Lane
IG11 9LX
01708 503 838

Havering

Queen’s Hospital
Rom Valley Way
Romford
RM7 0AG
01708 435 000