What can you expect when you visit Sex Sense?

That depends on whether you are coming to one of our drop in sessions, or a clinic session with the nurse.

You can come to both types of sessions to get advice, information, free condoms and pregnancy and chlamydia testing, but at a clinic session you have access to a wider range of conception options.

At a C&SH clinic session: seeing the nurse

The nurse can provide you with information and advice about contraception and can provide you with all forms of contraception (the pill, the implant or injection as well as condoms). Clinics can also provide pregnancy and chlamydia testing.

All our clinic sessions are held in an informal young person friendly environment. You are welcome to bring a friend with you when you come to a clinic session.

When you arrive there will be someone on reception to greet you and make you feel welcome.

If it's your first visit, then we'll ask you to register with us. This will give us your contact details. You will be able to choose whether or not you want us to send letters or information to your home address. We really respect your privacy and confidentiality.

We will also ask you for the name of your doctor of health centre – and again, you'll be able to choose whether or not we should let your doctor know that you've visited the service.

Once you have registered, then you wait to see the nurse. Our waiting areas are very relaxed – and you'll be able to get a drink or water, or maybe tea and coffee as well.

When you see the Nurse they will talk through with you any issues about your Sexual Health that you want to discuss. Usually conversations with the Nurse last around 10 minutes – but we are always happy to spend the time making sure we offer you the support you need.

Drop in sessions

Our drop in sessions are very informal. You can get information and advice, free condoms and pregnancy and chlamydia testing.

Usually when you get to a drop in you will have an informal conversation with one of the Sex Sense staff and then we will be able to offer you the resources or support you need.

There are no medical forms to fill in – we just ask for your name and a contact number for our records – but, as with the clinic sessions, everything that happens at a drop in is confidential and we won't tell anyone else that you've been to the session, or what you said in the drop-in.

You can come to a drop in on your own, or with a friend or group.