Adults' sexual health

Skip to:

Sexual health and contraceptive clinics

Edgware Community Hospital

Address: Sexual Health Clinic, Lower Ground Floor, Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, HA8 0AD

Opening times:

  • Monday: 8.30am to 3pm
  • Tuesday: 12.30am to 7pm
  • Wednesday: 8.30am to 3pm (the clinic is closed from 1pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month)
  • Thursday: 12.30pm to 7pm
  • Friday: 8.30am to 3pm

We are not open on bank holidays.

Vale Drive Primary Care Centre

Address: Vale Drive, Barnet, EN5 2ED

Opening times:

  • Monday: 8.30am to 3pm
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 12.30pm to 7pm (the clinic is closed between 1pm and 4.30pm for training on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month)
  • Thursday: Closed
  • Friday: Closed

We are not open on bank holidays.

Walk-ins are available for Emergency Hormonal Contraception, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and Under 18s services.

Visit the Sexual Health website for more details.

The Bridge Sexual Health Service

The Bridge Sexual Health Service for people with learning disabilities and autism has two clinics in Barnet at Edgware Community Hospital and Vale Drive Primary Care Centre.

This specialised service offers support and advice on sex, relationships and pregnancy to people in the Borough who are aged over 16 and may find it difficult to attend a clinic and discuss their sexual health needs or concerns in a regular appointment.

The service also offers free condoms and contraception and tests and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV.

To find out more visit the sexual health website or see the Bridge easy read service leaflet (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Contraception

Emergency contraception

Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy following unprotected sex, incorrect use of contraception (e.g. a missed pill) or contraceptive failure (e.g. a condom has split). There are two types:

  • Emergency contraceptive pill (often referred to as 'the morning after pill') - Levonelle or ellaOne.
  • IUD (also known as the copper coil).

Emergency contraception is available for free in both Edgware Community Hospital and Vale Drive Primary Care Centre sexual health clinics. No appointment is needed for emergency contraception.

Women below the age of 25 years in Barnet can access emergency contraception from some community pharmacies.

The emergency hormonal contraceptive pill (morning after pill) is available for free online through an online consultation with Sexual Health London

For more information about the different types of contraception, including emergency contraception, please see the FPA website contraception page

Regular contraception

Regular contraception includes: the combined contraceptive pill, the progestogen-only pill, the vaginal contraceptive ring and the contraceptive patch.

You can talk about contraception choices and make an appointment to get contraception at the sexual and reproductive health clinics at Edgware Community Hospital  and Vale Drive Primary Care Centre.

You can also have appointments with any other sexual health clinic if it is more convenient and can call your GP to discuss your options.

Free regular contraception is available through:

Regular contraception can help prevent pregnancy but does not protect against STIs and it is important to use a condom to protect against STIs.  

Long acting reversible contraception

Long-acting reversible contraception includes as implants, injections, intrauterine devices (the coil) and intrauterine systems (IUS). Long-acting reversible contraception can be more effective than the contraception pills as you do not need to remember to take it every day. 

You can talk about contraception choices and make an appointment to get contraception at the sexual and reproductive health clinics at Edgware Community Hospital and Vale Drive Primary Care Centre.

You can also have appointments with any other sexual health clinic if it is more convenient and can call your GP to discuss your options.

Some GPs also provide long-acting reversible contraception for patients registered with them.

Long-acting reversible contraception can help prevent pregnancy but does not protect against STIs and it is important to use a condom to protect against STIs. 

Free HIV and STI testing

If you are over 16 years old, you can have HIV and STI testing through either:

If you are under 17 you can attend for HIV and STI testing as a walk-in. This service is also available for vulnerable adults.

PrEP services

PrEP is a medication taken by those who are do not have HIV, to help stop them getting HIV.  PrEP works by stopping the HIV from entering the cells in your body. PrEP is for anyone at increased risk of getting HIV. 

PrEP is available through the Central and North-West London NHS Foundation Trust’s (CNWL) specialist services in Barnet (at Edgware Community Hospital), Camden (at the Mortimer Market Centre) and Islington (at the Archway Centre).

You can learn more about PrEP or book an appointment on CNWL's website.

Psychosexual and psychology services

Barnet's residents can access psychosexual services as part of the Central and North-West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) specialist services in Camden (at the Mortimer Market Centre) and Islington (at the Archway Centre).

You will need to book an appointment to be seen by a health professional who will then assess your eligibility and make an internal referral to the CNWL Psychosexual/ Psychology service, if appropriate. You cannot self-refer to the service.

You can access the CNWL Sexual Problems Assessment and Treatment Services (SPATS) and Sexual Health Psychology services by booking a general sexual health appointment online or calling 020 3317 5252.

Terminating a pregnancy

A termination or abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy. Depending on how many weeks you have been pregnant, the pregnancy is ended either by taking medication or by having a surgical procedure.

If you are considering a termination you can access support via the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS) in Finchley:

 

Torrington Park Health Centre
16 Torrington Park
North Finchley
London
N12 9SS

Telephone:0333 004 6666
Fax: 0845 659 0666

Email: info@nupas.co.uk

 

They provide the following services:

  • abortion information and consultation
  • early medical abortion (abortion pill)
  • free pregnancy testing
  • full contraception service
  • free walk-in chlamydia testing for Under 25s.

For more information about terminating a pregnancy go to:

Sexual or domestic abuse

You can find further information and support relating to sexual or domestic abuse here.

The Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (IDVSA) works with the Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Barnet. Sexual health service patients can be referred to the service who can provide advice and support to victims/survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

National sexual health helpline

If you would like to talk to someone about a sexual health problem call free on 0300 123 7123 from Monday to Friday between 9am and 8pm. All calls are confidential and will be treated sensitively.

Individuals will be referred to services if required and a nurse-led service is available.

Sexual health useful links

The following websites provide further helpful information and advice:

A flyer is available to download and print going over sexual health information in Barnet (PDF, 1.1 MB)