On Wednesday 13 August, Terrence Higgins Trust, Old Ford Housing Association and Eastside Youth Centre are holding a sexual health open day for under 25s from 12- 7.30p.m at the Youth Centre in Parnell Road. The open day is to mark the launch of a regular testing clinic which will run on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Staff will be offering sexual health information and advice to young people during the open day and the testing clinic will be open for those who want to use it.  There will also be food and drink, entertainment and activities run by youth workers.

Eastside Sexual Health Service for young people is provided with Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust and offers advice, information and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing for under 25s. The regular clinic will run from 6-8pm on Mondays and 5.30-7.30pm on Wednesdays.

Tests include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV.  Results are available within a few days and treatment is available for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. People diagnosed with other infections will be referred on to their local NHS services.  Sexual health advice and information will be available at the clinic alongside the existing pregnancy and contraceptive services.  

Adam Wilkinson, London Operations Manager at Terrence Higgins Trust said “It made sense for us to hold our clinic in the youth centre where under 25s are anyway. We’re also holding it in the early evening so it doesn’t interfere with work or education. We hope people will come along to the open day to find out more about the services on offer.  The aim is to make them quick and convenient so young people are more willing to come forward for testing.”

Rates of STI diagnoses continue to rise among 16-24 year olds and young people are often at higher risk of infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea.  Terrence Higgins Trust is working on expanding the range of sexual health and support services it provides for young people.

The full address of the clinic is Eastside Youth Centre, 62 Parnell Road, London, E3 2EX. For clinic information contact 020 7812 1726 or call 020 8983 9042 to speak to a sexual health advice worker. Alternatively visit http://www.tht.org.uk/fastest

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