Find a sexual health (GUM) clinic
In the UK, centres specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections are called Genito-Urinary (GU) or Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics. These GUM clinics often have a family planning (contraceptive) service too and encompass a whole range of sexual health services.
Most NHS clinics now have appointment-only services, although if you have symptoms you may be able to get a sameday appointment at a GUM clinic.
If you want to be tested and treated for a sexually transmitted infection you can either go to an NHS GUM clinic, go to a private clinic such as DrThom's private clinic in London, or use DrThom's online testing and treatment services. For details of an NHS GUM clinic near you, click a link on the right.
The Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK's leading sexual health charity, also has a number of clinics throughout the UK.
Important points to remember when visiting a GUM clinic:
To gain the maximum benefit from any genital tests carried out you should not pass urine for 2-4 hours before attending. This is particularly relevant for men.
An important part of managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs/STDs) is encouraging someone infected with an STI to get their partner screened and treated as otherwise the infection gets passed back and forth. This encouragement takes the form of a piece of paper known as a 'contact slip' that is given to the patient to hand on to their partners.
The contact slip specifies, in a coded form which is standard throughout the UK, what the identified infection is and the partner can take the slip to any GU clinic in the country and receive treatment.
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