September - Sexual Health

Sexual health is a broad subject. It is more than avoiding infections or unplanned pregnancies, although these are still very important. It is about having a positive and respectful approach to your sexuality and relationships.

Sexual health affects both your body and mind. But by taking simple actions like regular STI tests and using contraception, you can make a big difference.

These actions also help to prevent infections like HIV. By having open and respectful conversations you can help to reduce stigma and discrimination, and play your part in creating healthier and happier communities. Promoting sexual health builds respect, trust, and safety for all of us.

You can find more information about sexual health created by the World Health Organisation.

STI diagnoses are on the rise in Harrow. All groups can be affected, but some more than others. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) have the highest number of new diagnoses, but infections are also rising in heterosexual men and women.

More diagnoses don’t always mean more infections are happening. It could be that more people are getting tested. The more we normalise testing, the better we can catch and treat STIs early. Regular testing helps find hidden cases and leads to better treatment. Let’s work to reduce the stigma around it!

For more information follow these links about:

• Home STI testing
• Sexual Health advice

There are many places you can get tested for STIs in Harrow. The Caryl Thomas Clinic is a community hub run by the NHS. Here you can access a range of sexual health services:

• Testing for STIs (including HIV)
• All methods of contraception including emergency contraception
• Support and points of contact for victims of sexual assaults or rapes.

The Caryl Thomas Clinic offer in-person advice and testing, as well as discreet home kits that can be posted to you then returned for lab testing. Tests are safe and although some people might find them uncomfortable, they should not be painful.

There are also a range of private options available for STI testing, but these are not affiliated with the council or the NHS

For more information visit the Caryl Thomas Clinic website.

Not all STIs show symptoms straight away – they can often take weeks to appear and in some cases may not appear at all. However, this does not mean that an infection is not there. This is why regular testing is so important to catch STIs early before they lead to more serious health problems like infertility.

The common signs and symptoms of an STI are:

• Unusual discharge from the vagina/penis
• Pain or burning when you pass urine (pee)
• Itches, rashes, lumps or blisters, mainly around the genitals or anus (back passage), but can be on other parts of the body.
• Pain and/or bleeding during sex
• Bleeding between periods (including those using hormonal contraception)  or bleeding after sex
• Pain in the testicles and/or in the lower abdomen (belly)

Remember, the only way to know for sure is to get tested.

For more information follow this link to the NHS website on STIs.

This NHS video has lots of helpful information and guidance about Sexual Health.

If you test positive for any STI, it is very important that you follow the advice of the sexual health services. This will help you to get prompt and effective treatment, and for your current/previous sexual partner(s) too. Sexual health services will support and assist you in informing your current/previous sexual partner(s).

If you test positive for an STI then you should not have sex until the infection has been treated completely so that you don’t pass it on.

If STIs are not treated they cause long-term complications. Infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause infertility and chronic pain. Others, like syphilis or HIV, have serious complications including paralysis and even death. Almost all infections are treatable, and most are curable, so it is very important to get tested and treated early.

In the 1980s, HIV was untreatable and killed everyone who had it because it caused a serious condition called AIDS. However, modern medicine is incredibly effective against HIV. Today, most people with HIV on medication live full, healthy lives and most transmission is prevented.

In Harrow, Spectra and The Terrence Higgins Trust host awareness events and help to connect people to HIV testing and care services. See further information about the Terrence Higgins Trust and Spectra.

The Living Well service in Harrow offers 1-to-1 counselling, life coaching and nutritional support for people with HIV. The NHS also offers free regular testing to at-risk groups

There are a number of key Sexual Health awareness days in 2025, which are:

• STI Awareness Day - 14th January 2025 
• National HIV Testing Week - 3-9 February 2025
• Zero HIV Stigma Day - 21st July 2025