Who is this website for? And how can it be used?

The ‘Get it On’ website can be used;

• By anybody in the public who might want to know more about their sexual health and where to go if they want any more information or to find local services.
• By professionals working with young people & adults for sexual health issues, information and advice.
• For parents to find out more information to discuss sexual health topics with their children at an appropriate level and suitable time.
• As a guide for signposting clients to local services and further support.
• Websites and phone numbers can be used to find out more information.

Anybody can use this website at any time – looking through specific sections as and when appropriate. Many people may want to use it to answer questions they may have or even just to know where services are if ever they need them. The Health Improvement Team in Halton & St Helens have asked local people what they would like to know more about and this website is a result of those conversations.

It is important that you are aware of all options available to you – whether that is advice on peer pressure, choosing the best method of contraception, treating Sexually Transmitted Infections or pre-termination counselling and pregnancy advice. ‘Get It On’ will cover all of these subject areas and will point you in the direction of services that will help you to make safe, informed choices about your sexual health.

Knowing and understanding your sexual health is a human right.

With the summer holiday season in full swing, Halton and St Helens Health Improvement Team is reminding young revellers hitting sunnier climes to remember their money, passport, sun cream and condoms!

Getting away from work or college for a couple of weeks and jetting off to party resorts is the highlight of the yearly calendar for some. Unfortunately this type of vacation can be more about sun, sea, sand and unprotected sex.

By using a condom you can keep yourself safer from STIs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and HIV, as well as protection against the risk of pregnancy.

Jane Marshall specialises in sexual health for the Health Improvement Team. She said:

“People let their guard down when on holiday and often alcohol is a contributing factor. Condoms are essential wear against infection and unwanted pregnancy.

“It is important to remind people though that sun creams, after sun, make up, lip gloss and heat can all affect the latex in condoms making them less reliable due to the oils content of many creams etc. The last thing a person on holiday wants to bring back is an unwanted souvenir from their time away.”

Following holiday periods sexual health clinics locally tend to see a steady rise in cases of the five key sexually transmitted infections. These are:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhoea
• Genital herpes
• Genital warts
• Syphilis

Research shows Chlamydia is the greatest infection diagnosed at Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics across Halton and St Helens amongst those aged 18 to 24 years (16% male and 14% female)[1].

Chlamydia is an invisible and silent infection. It is easily transmitted, does not discriminate and anybody can catch it if they are sexually active. Many people remain undiagnosed, and if untreated Chlamydia can lead to infertility in both males and females.

Jane Marshall added:

“Carrying condoms are as important as carrying your money and passport. We offer a free test kit for Chlamydia. The test is a straightforward urine sample, and treatment for any positive results is a simple course of antibiotics.

“Simply call our Chlamydia Screening Team on 01744 457 379 or ask for a test at your local clinic or medical surgery. Everything is confidential, and no records will be passed to your GP unless you want to.”

Many of us increase our alcohol intake – or take drugs – during holidays, which can increase the risk of unprotected sex.

To stay safe on holiday, the Health Improvement Team offers the following advice:

1. Use a condom every time you have sex. Only condoms provide protection against unintended pregnancy and most STIs, including HIV.
2. Just because you have been with someone for a while, do not give up using a condom until you have both had a check-up.
3. If you think you have been put at risk, it is important to get tested.
4. If your contraception has failed, women can access the emergency hormonal contraceptive (EHC). EHC works better the sooner you use it but can be used up to five days after having unprotected sex.

The Health Improvement Team has a dedicated sexual health website www.getiton.org.uk. The site covers areas such as relationships, sex, STI’s, contraception and pregnancy and parenthood. The Get It On campaign also works closely with the GP Practices in the distribution of condoms as an infection and pregnancy prevention method.

[1] Enhanced Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Cheshire and Merseyside 2008.

NHS Halton and St Helens is committed to providing the best health care provision to suit the needs of the population. Have your say and tell us how you would like to receive sexual health care in the community. You could win Love2Shop vouchers worth £100! The survey is anonymous and the questionnaire cannot be traced back to you.

Click here to download the form Right click ‘save target as’

Where do you get condoms from?

Condoms are usually really cheap to buy and you can get them free from;

• Your GP
• GUM Clinic
• Community Sexual Health Clinics
• Teenage Parent & Sexual Health Team
• School Health Nurse (only in St Helens where schools have ‘Clinic in a Box’)
• Riverside College Student Services.
• Riverside College have condom machines in the toilets and sell condoms for 50p for a pack of three.
• You can also get them from the pound shop, supermarkets, chemists, petrol station, public toilets and shops.
• Health Trainer via the Health Improvement Team, Ashley House for people already using their services.

Halton and St Helens have a GP Condom Scheme which means you can get free condoms from your GP. Halton also has a ‘C Card Scheme’ which means you can get a card from a professional such as the Teenage Parent & Sexual Health Team, Riverside College Student Services and other local services. The professional will run through the process for using condoms properly and then you can use the card to get free condoms any time after that – all you have to do is show the card.

Click here to download our details on Community Sexual Health / Family Planning Clinics for Young People in Halton and St Helens

Ste is from St Helens and is currently receiving treatment for HIV:

“When talking about HIV, I can’t begin to tell you how scared I was at the simple worry of knowing the truth. Finally taking the brave step of visiting my local GUM Clinic has without a doubt saved my life, and I will be forever grateful.”

HIV is a viral infection which affects the immune system – the body’s natural defence against diseases. It is possible to treat HIV to reduce the effects of the infection; however there is still no known cure for it.

Most people with HIV are diagnosed in their 30s, with one in 10 being diagnosed between the ages of 16 to 24 years. Five percent of people are diagnosed over the age of 55.

Ste added:

“I wasn’t there for pity; I was there to face my fears. The support I’ve had from the staff at the clinic has been out of this world. I wasn’t a number or a stat to them, I was a real person and I can’t begin to thank them enough.”

“If you are unsure about your sexual health whether you’re straight or gay, then all I can say is don’t be afraid, get yourself checked.”

Halton and St Helens has a relatively low prevalence of HIV compared to neighbouring Cheshire and Merseyside. 82% of cases in Halton and St Helens are amongst men. The biggest risk group remains men who have sex with men (65.8%), although it should be noted nearly 29% of reported HIV cases are now from the heterosexual community.

When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when they have HIV and at least one of a list of illnesses that are considered to be associated with AIDS.

Fiona Johnstone is Director of Public Health for NHS Halton and St Helens. She said:

“HIV has not gone away and it remains to be a concern for NHS Halton and St Helens. We are encouraging our local communities to find out about HIV, how it is passed on and how people can protect themselves from the virus.”

“World AIDS Day is an ideal opportunity for us all to learn more about how HIV can affect people and also find out more so that we can make informed choices about our own actions and our own health.”

The Health Improvement Team are working closely with partners to ensure that information is made available to the general public and health professionals to promote HIV awareness, and to challenge the stigma.

There will be information available through all local libraries across Halton and St Helens as well as in Clinics, GP surgeries and schools across the PCT.

Local Youth Services and Teenage Pregnancy Teams will be working with young people to help them understand the importance of making informed choices and knowing where they can go to get help and advice about all aspects of sexual health.

Outreach workers will be taking information out to the local communities and providing red ribbons and information so that people have the opportunity to ask questions and find out what HIV is all about.

Fiona Johnstone added:

“HIV does not discriminate. Everyone is potentially at risk of HIV. Understanding how HIV can be passed on and how it can be prevented is the key to protecting ourselves against this virus.”

“There is still no cure for HIV, and so we are encouraging our communities to find out how to protect themselves and we are also challenging the stigma that sadly still exists with HIV.

“Our staff and partners will be working hard to ensure information is made available to the public and we would hope that the work we continue to do will help to prevent the spread of HIV.”

Rapid testing is available through some GUM clinics to offer HIV results in little over 20 minutes. Free and confidential tests are available at GUM centres in Halton and St Helens all year round with the Fast Test being available at the St Helens GUM clinic.

Research shows public knowledge of HIV in the UK is declining and there is a worrying lack of understanding. This World AIDS Day, NHS Halton and St Helens is asking people once again to respect and protect themselves and others by understanding the true facts and reality of HIV in the UK. GUM clinics are open access which means you can go to any clinic anywhere in the country. If you are concerned about HIV and/ or other sexually transmitted infection you can visit NHS Halton and St Helens’ dedicated website www.getiton.org.uk for further information on clinics and other services.

HIV fact or HIV fiction?

You will die from HIV

HIV treatments have developed over recent years meaning that people living with HIV can live a full and healthy life. HIV does not mean that someone will die of their infection, however it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as it is with anyone.

Getting your HIV results can take months

HIV test can now be carried out quickly with some centres like the GUM clinic in St Helens offering a Fast Test where results will be known within half an hour.

Only gay men get HIV

No. There are many heterosexual people living with HIV in the UK and a third of people living with HIV are women. Anyone who has sex without a condom or share needles when injecting drugs is at risk of infection.

HIV is no longer an issue in the UK

More people than ever are living with HIV in the UK. It is vital the message of ‘Respect and Protect’ continues as the number of people being diagnosed with HIV is growing each year.

There are no symptoms of HIV

People do not usually show symptoms of HIV infection until after many years of living with the virus. Some people report having “flu like” symptoms within a month or two of becoming infected which last up to two weeks. However, few people seek investigation for these symptoms and often go undiagnosed for, in some cases, years.

What about confidentiality?

The majority of screening takes place at a local genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. These clinics are legally bound to not reveal personal details and test results and so all notes and records held by any GUM department are completely confidential.

For further advice and information on HIV and sexual health you can contact:

St Helens GUM Clinic – 01744 464473
Halton GUM Clinic – 01928 753217
National Sexual Health Line – 0800 567123

www.worldaidsday.org

They will visit Halton Lea and Riverside College to try to persuade teenagers to wear condoms in order to avoid sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.

The promotions will take place from Tuesday, February 9 to Thursday, February 11 at Riverside College campuses at Kingsway, Cronton, Runcorn and Astmoor.

The campaign team will also be in Halton Lea’s in Runcorn from 11am-4pm on those dates.

Halton’s teenage pregnancy team (TPT) is running the campaign in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

Click here to view the full story on the Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News website.