Sexual health

Homerton sexual health services include:

• sexual wellbeing support and advice
• testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• contraception (including coils and implants)
• vaccinations for HPV and Hepatitis A and B
• HIV prevention (PrEP)

These services are available at four locations:

• Clifden Centre, Homerton University Hospital, E9 6SR
• Ivy Centre, St Leonards, Nuttall Street, N1 5LZ
• John Scott Health Centre, Green Lanes, N4 2NU
• 80 Leadenhall Street, EC3A 3DH, City of London

Treatments are free, and doors are open Monday to Friday.

You can book an appointment online by visiting Homerton Sexual Health Services – online booking portal. You can also book over the phone by calling 020 7683 4103.

You can visit the Clifden or the John Scott Centre without an appointment. There’s also a Saturday clinic at the Clifden (by appointment, 10am to 3pm) and a clinic for men who have sex with men every Thursday (5pm to 7pm) at the Clifden.

Young people can also access confidential care and advice and specialist sexual health services.

For general sexual health advice and information, visit Young Hackney.

If you are under 25, you can sign up to the free condom distribution scheme, and collect condoms from pharmacies and other outlets. Visit Young Hackney – Free condoms and search the map to find your nearest pharmacy.

If you need specialist sexual health care and advice, for example on contraception and pregnancy, you can walk in at the Clifden Centre at the Homerton.

For more information on what to expect when visiting Clifden Centre, watch Young Hackney – what to expect.

You can get free condoms and lubricant from a range of local venues, if you are aged 25+ and in the following group(s) at higher risk of STIs and HIV:

• gay or bisexual men
• Black African and Black Caribbean
• client of a substance misuse service
• involved in sex working

To see a list of places that provide free condoms, visit Young Hackney – Free condoms. 

For guidance on the contraception that is best suited to you and your needs, visit NHS – your contraception guide.

Over 30 pharmacies in Hackney are signed up to deliver free sexual health services. These include emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), chlamydia testing and chlamydia treatment for anyone, without age restrictions.

To order a free STI testing kit online, visit Sexual Health London.

To order contraceptives online, visit Sexual Health London.

You can get contraception delivered to your home or you can collect it from a location. 

You receive a full online consultation and a GP reviews your request before they prescribe your contraception.

Emergency contraception can prevent a pregnancy if you’ve had unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed. For example, a condom has split or you’ve missed a pill.

To order emergency contraception online, visit Sexual Health London.

Positive East works to improve the quality of life of people affected by HIV. They offer a range of health and wellbeing programmes, including:

• counselling
• workshops 
• HIV testing and prevention

Positive East also offers tailored support for local residents from black and other ethnic minority communities to look after their sexual and reproductive health through Project Community.

For more information call 020 7791 2855 or email talktome@positiveeast.org.uk.

Terrence Higgins Trust also offers a range of services to people affected by HIV.

Body & soul

Body & Soul supports children, teenagers and families living with, or closely affected by, HIV, who live in Hackney.

They provide support, including:

• peer support groups and information workshops for children, teenagers and adults 
• one-to-one counselling with mental health professionals
• information and advocacy on issues, such as health and treatment, welfare, human rights and immigration 

To make a referral, complete the Body & Soul self referral form. They contact you to arrange a time to register the person being referred.

Find out more about Body & Soul’s services and how to become a member. You can also call 020 7923 6880 or email referrals@bodyandsoulcharity.org.

• giving contraceptive advice
• providing medical examinations to people looking for contraceptive advice
• treating and supplying contraceptive substances and appliances

• preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections
• treating, testing and caring for people with STIs and
• notifying the sexual partners of people with these infections

Due to the open access nature of sexual health services, residents may choose to use other providers who have not established terms and conditions with the council.

Out of area providers are not directly commissioned by the council and there is currently only an agreement for the cross charging for genito-urinary medicine (GUM) services.

Financial terms for the provision of GUM services to residents for providers without a negotiated position:

• financial terms for the provision of GUM services to residents – 3 February (google docs)

You must quote the correct prices according to the year in which care was provided. If you do not, we reject your invoice.

Providers of GUM services who want to submit invoices totalling more than £1,000 per year must be registered as a supplier to the council. All providers must comply with the terms and conditions.

Failure to comply with the financial terms and payment process leads to a rejection of an invoice. No alternative payment terms or mechanisms are available.