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"Obtaining a sexual health certificate"

About: Sexual Health Services - North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (Open Clinic)

(as a service user),

I went to Cobridge STI clinic to obtain a certificate to say I have no STI's and was advised that they don't offer them.

I've had them before from there (2 years ago) but found that it was easier to travel 250 mile round trip to London every month to obtain them from a clinic in London. It works out a significant cost each time. 

I couldn't get to London and tried the clinic at Stoke. It was a strong reminder of why I spent so much time and money going elsewhere.

Staff were very pleasant and I'm more than aware of the financial cuts that all sexual health clinics have been put under. Whilst at the clinic you can see the cuts, as a sex worker I'm the one who feels the effects of it.

I'm in my 40s, have been in the sex industry for 17 years. I was in my 40s before I had an STI. That year I had two and this year I have had four. I've not changed my operating procedures.

I was told to write my thoughts but I don't believe they'll be listened to. You complain about having a shortfall in cash, I'm paying a great deal of money a year on testing. I walked away from your services 2 years ago because of a can't do attitude. Tried again today and noted no change.

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Responses

Response from Leanne Fowler, Nurse Manager, North Staffs & Stoke Open Clinic, Inclusion nearly 2 years ago
Leanne Fowler
Nurse Manager, North Staffs & Stoke Open Clinic,
Inclusion
Submitted on 08/12/2023 at 10:21
Published on Care Opinion at 10:37


Dear foxtroteh35,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the service you received. Following your comments, we have discussed this as a team and referred to the BASHH guidelines.

I would like to apologise that we did not provide you with your results in writing and we have now developed a pathway to enable people who work in the sex industry to receive their results in writing in the form of a letter.

If you would like to contact me via email I can get your latest results put into a letter and sent out to you.

I am in the hope that you will consider engaging with our service in the future and will find this pathway more seamless and supportive for your requirements.

Kind regards

Leanne Fowler

Nurse manager

email: leanne.fowler@mpft.nhs.uk

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