Sexual Health clinics no longer offering walk ins

[WKD123]

I've not been active for some time, but recently couldn't resist the urge. Couple of weeks later there's a bit of a problem downstairs so I think, I'll book an appointment with the local clinic just to be on the safe side.  Turns out, they are no longer doing tests so you have to order online  fuck me, what if the missus opens the "Self test kit for STD" package?

Has anyone else found that your local sexual health clinic has closed its doors to walk in or appointments to have a check up? 

[GingerNuts]

It's been like this for a while, for obvious reasons, and has been discussed before. Anyway, my local NHS clinic:

We are continuing to run a limited service due to Coronavirus. Our clinics are not offering a walk-in and wait service currently.

We are receiving a high volume of calls and may not be able to answer your call today. Appointments will be booked according to your initial clinical assessment; this means you may not get an appointment on the same day that you call.

A member of staff will then advise you on how to access the service you require. This may be an online STI testing kit, a telephone appointment, or a booked clinic appointment (if you are attending a booked appointment at our service you will be asked to wear a face mask; these can be provided by us when you enter the clinic).

[MissWolf]

I've not been active for some time, but recently couldn't resist the urge. Couple of weeks later there's a bit of a problem downstairs so I think, I'll book an appointment with the local clinic just to be on the safe side.  Turns out, they are no longer doing tests so you have to order online  fuck me, what if the missus opens the "Self test kit for STD" package?

Has anyone else found that your local sexual health clinic has closed its doors to walk in or appointments to have a check up?

My local (I'm in wales) is no longer doing walk ins it's postal self test kits..........however

If you call your local clinic and explain you feel you have a problem and want a face to face appointment then they will put you on the triage list and you can attend by appointment  (that's how mine are doing it) 

Alternatively can you not get it sent to a work address

[Strawberry]

The local underfunded service I use did close for I think 8 or 12 weeks in 2020 however even during that period they would send out oral and vaginal testing (gonorrhea and chlamydia), I bought a blood test from Fettle to cover syphilis and already had a desktop home test kit for HIV.

Roll on and has been in person for well over 12 months, they did stop blood tests for a while (month or so) last year but restarted when syphilis cases increased. I had started using kits sent to me by a regional sex worker outreach, these use blood spot sampling which is far easier than trying to squeeze a phial full of blood from finger (it's basically press pierced finger onto a piece of blotting paper), as well as oral, anal and vaginal swabs. I now alternate between the postal kits sent to Manchester and local in-person tests.


Currently have to phone a central number for the authority, who book the local clinic appointment.

[MadMonk67]

My local, doesn't offer walk in either but you can still get them. I phoned and spoke to to the receptionist and just said I had done those home kits before and voided it (which is true) and that I lived in a flat with a family member who occasionally opens my mail. therefore I was embarrassed about getting the postal tests and could I see a nurse. They gave me an appointment for the following day.

[FiveKnuckles]

some authorities are low on test kits and try to limit 1 kit every 3 months.

I requested a kit to be sent direct to the sexual health clinic for pickup, got text msg next day that a test kit is waiting.  when I got there the receptionist was looking for the kit, opening various cupboards and they were pretty bare.

did the test and dropped the pack into a box at reception.  it's a well trodden process and NHS do a fantastic job IMO.

[GingerNuts]

My local, doesn't offer walk in either but you can still get them. I phoned and spoke to to the receptionist and just said I had done those home kits before and voided it (which is true) and that I lived in a flat with a family member who occasionally opens my mail. therefore I was embarrassed about getting the postal tests and could I see a nurse. They gave me an appointment for the following day.

Is the highlighted part true?

[signy]

Is the highlighted part true?

Got to be a risk whenever you live with someone, especially if they have a similar name. Even when I get mail for neighbours (wrong number, wrong street, etc.), I have occasionally opened it before I realised it wasn't for me. All innocent, but could be embarrassing.

[GingerNuts]

Got to be a risk whenever you live with someone, especially if they have a similar name. Even when I get mail for neighbours (wrong number, wrong street, etc.), I have occasionally opened it before I realised it wasn't for me. All innocent, but could be embarrassing.

I can see that but my question was more to enquire if that's something he just told them so he could get a clinic appointment given he particularly chose to emphasise part of his post as being true.

[Strawberry]

Actual walk-ins with out an appointment have not been part of the local GUM service, this arrangement has been trialled at various times.

What has happened during the pandemic is appointments seem to be running much closer to time, very little waiting even now the waiting area has opened up. For a while you could only wait outside until very close to appointment time. I never met anyone else waiting and was always brought in within a few minutes of my arrival a few minutes before my appointment time. I'm hoping the service has been streamlined.

[yandex]

Last time I visited, the clinic at Sheffield (Royal Hallamshire Hospital) had a pile of self test kits on a table in the  corridor outside. Easy to just pop along and discreetly pick one up.

[GingerNuts]

Actual walk-ins with out an appointment have not been part of the local GUM service, this arrangement has been trialled at various times.

What has happened during the pandemic is appointments seem to be running much closer to time, very little waiting even now the waiting area has opened up. For a while you could only wait outside until very close to appointment time. I never met anyone else waiting and was always brought in within a few minutes of my arrival a few minutes before my appointment time. I'm hoping the service has been streamlined.

My local clinic offered a walk-in and wait service until the pandemic.

[MadMonk67]

Is the highlighted part true?

No, but they don't check.

[GingerNuts]

No, but they don't check.

Thanks for your honesty but I don't approve of you lying to get an appointment at a time when the NHS is under immense pressure.

[lillythesavage]

Thanks for your honesty but I don't approve of you lying to get an appointment at a time when the NHS is under immense pressure.

If you are showing symptoms and call most will book an appointment quickly, not for routine though testing though and lying is a piss take in the current situation.

[Doc Holliday]

Since around 2013 the responsibility for Sexual Health Services have become mostly the responsibility of Local Government, although some specialist services are still overseen by local CCG's and NHS England.

This means there are considerable local variations in how services are delivered and the term Post Code lottery is appropriate. Then came Covid to complicate it further. Wherever you are you should now still be able to get a 'face to face' if you have symptoms and if you are insistent.

[Strawberry]

My local clinic offered a walk-in and wait service until the pandemic.

Probably not viable in a sparsely populated authority, staff were doing 3 days at one clinic 2 days another a 1 hour drive away - the other being closed whilst each one is open. Not sure that is still the case, but was for many years.

[s0whatsnew?]

If you are showing symptoms and call most will book an appointment quickly, not for routine though testing though and lying is a piss take in the current situation.

On the other hand, the more minimalistic the service becomes, the more redundancies there will be.   So the staff do have a motivation to keep offering a face 2 face service.

[yandex]

On the other hand, the more minimalistic the service becomes, the more redundancies there will be.   So the staff do have a motivation to keep offering a face 2 face service.

If only that were true. Sadly, the grim realities of modern era health service funding means nothing is safe, regardless of how 'popular' it may be.

The no politics discussion rule dictates discretion but Sexual Health services, alongside other public health services like NHS funded dentistry, are not deemed particularly worthy at the moment (and for at least the last decade)

[Lamnguin]

Walk-ins ceased in my area well before the pandemic, and appointments are hard to get hold of especially for someone who works full-time. I've been relying on self-testing kits for several years (I live alone so this isn't a problem for me).

[chadpitt]

How do you guys get enough blood for the self test kits?

I can only manage a few drops and then it stops.

That's the reason I prefer walk ons.

[JamesKW]

How do you guys get enough blood for the self test kits?

I can only manage a few drops and then it stops.

That's the reason I prefer walk ons.

I did it last year,I pricked about four fingers to get enough blood,there was blood all over the place and when I sent it off there still wasnt enough for a test result,so I havent done it since.

[The0neAnd0nly]

How do you guys get enough blood for the self test kits?

I can only manage a few drops and then it stops.

That's the reason I prefer walk ons.

I had exactly the same issue. Getting blood out of me is like blood out of a stone.

I got told that I didn't fill the vial enough the first time. 2nd time I did it straight after the gym (after advice from a nurse) and bled like a stuck pig so try that.

Also you can try warming your hands on a hot mug of water first too as that's meant to help.

[Joball87]

Follow the advice but yeah have a gym session then sauna/hot bath etc and you should get enough drops. Follow the advice - dangle your arm down and squeeze it from hand to finger to get the blood out. Still not easy IMO.

[WKD123]

What a stress!  Ordered the kit and got a text message to confirm, wasn't expecting it to arrive so soon and suddenly there it is on my doormat. Fuck, what if the other half got curious?  Then I fucked it all up and had to order again and the same stress as the wife works at home on random days. Then, you have to find the right moment to piss in the pot and draw blood.  I understand why they can no longer offer walk in services, but fuck me it's enough to put you off punting. Certainly enough to put you off testing which is not a great way to go.