SHAC clinics have taken the difficult decision to close for all walk-in clinics and booked appointments and are operating a telephone triage system to prioritise urgent problems.
We are advising patients to do all they can to protect their sexual health during these uncertain times. Reducing number of sexual partners and using condoms will help with this.

During this difficult time, please see link to local sexual health & contraception services for Under 25’s in Brighton & Hove
www.brightonsexualhealth.com/advice/youngpeople

I have highlighted some direct links to information for Under 25’s in Brighton & Hove below:

• Where to obtain free Emergency Contraception www.brightonsexualhealth.com/advice/emergency-contraception
• Where to pick up a free condoms www.brightonsexualhealth.com/advice/c-card-free-condoms
• Where to pick up a free Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea self- taken test www.brightonsexualhealth.com/advice/chlamydia-gonorrhoea-testing

Patients 18 years and over and have a BN1/BN2/BN3/BN41 postcode can order a free home test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV & Syphilis.
To order online visit www.brightonsexualhealth.com/homekits

We are receiving lots of questions regarding the recent letter published by the NHS for vulnerable patients, from those who have received the letter, and also, from those that feel that they should have. Also, many questions surrounding shielding with asthma.

Before calling the surgery please check guidance on the links below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/#Shielding

If you have received the letter, here is part of the content, for those struggling to get support.

If you are in touch with friends, family or a support network in your community who can support you to get food and medicine, follow the advice in this letter. If you do not have contacts who can help support you go to www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable or call 0800 0288327, the Government’s dedicated helpline.

We are currently experiencing an vast increase in the number of requests for prescriptions and are dealing with these as soon as we are able. We are currently taking around 5 days to process requests so please do not chase the surgery unless you have run out, or will run out in the next day or so. Similarly, we are aware that all chemists are under severe pressure and are taking longer than normal to process and deliver medication. We will update our website regularly as the situation continues to change

The surgery will no longer be holding Monday late night or early Thursday morning surgeries during the current Coronavirus outbreak.
Therefore, if you have an appointment booked please do not attend but call to discuss how we can help.
We will also be closing the telephone lines between 12 30 and 2pm every day, to allow the staff to take a break.
Our aim is to ensure we can keep a service each and every day at the surgery, albeit even if revised.