Youth Sexual Health

  • If you are an enrolled patient who is age 17 or under you are eligible for free sexual health advice. This may include Sexually Transmitted Infection checks, contraception advice and dispensing the Emergency Contraceptive Pill.

    [Casual patients, who are enrolled in a Cantebury general practice, are also eligible.]

    Sexual health is an important part of your overall health and well-being but can often be neglected.

    Sexual health consultations can include Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) checks; contraception advice; prescribing the Emergency Contraception Pill (ECP) and prescribing Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV infections.

    If you are an enrolled patient who is age 17 or under, i.e. less than 18, you are eligible for free sexual health advice both during the day and after hours. This may include STI checks, contraception advice and dispensing the ECP. The GP can advise you on whether this service is available to you for the consultation you are attending. Funding is available for up to six visits in a year.

    STI checks are an important part of your health if you are sexually active. STIs often have no symptoms so it is worth getting a test each time you have a new partner. Your doctor will let you know what tests need to be done depending on your circumstances. Usually this will involve a self collect urine sample or swab and some blood tests.

    There is a new funding stream available to pay for the insertion and removal of Jadelle or similar contraceptive rods. This makes the procedure free for eligible females.

    Subsidy conditions for insertion and removal of LARCs

    Eligibility applies to women who:

    • are enrolled in a Canterbury general practice, and
    • are aged 18 years and older, and
    • live in quintile 5 deprivation areas, or
    • hold a community services card, or
    • are at risk of unplanned pregnancy and poor health or social outcomes, e.g.:
    • users of community alcohol and drug services.
    • those aged 25 years or younger who access maternity services.
    • are high users of maternity services.
    • are in mental health residential services, or
    • are high users of community mental health services.
    • A woman's device can be removed and replaced on the same day.