Your Sexual Health

Our sexual health and HIV services give advice and practical support around contraception, relationships, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They can also provide STI testing and at-home test kits.

The Council runs regular free and confidential pop-up clinics in a variety of locations, including once a month in Family Hubs. 

December 2024 to March 2025 clinic dates:

• Chingford Family Hub: last Friday of the month, 4pm to 6pm (31 January, 28 February, 28 March)
• Walthamstow Family Hub: first Monday of the month, 3pm to 5pm (2 December, 6 January, 3 February, 3 March)
• Queens Road Family Hub: second Friday of the month, 3pm to 5pm (13 December, 17 January, 14 February, 14 March)
• Leytonstone Family Hub: third Monday of the month, 3pm to 5pm (16 December, 20 January, 17 February, 17 March)

These clinics provide:

• Priority booking for people under 25
• Contraception and STI advice and guidance
• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screening (urine samples sent off to the lab, results via text)
• HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis screening  
• C-Card registration, a condom scheme for young people under 25 providing a card to access condoms in a easy and discreet way from more than 2,000 outlets across London, Essex and Hertfordshire
• Free pregnancy testing
• Fast-track clinic appointments for under 18s
• Access to a free app, CCARD, to help locate free sexual health services across the borough (on Google Play or the App Store)

To find out more, please email: SH.Outreach@walthamforest.gov.uk

STI Testing

The Council helps fund All East Sexual Health to provide free, open-access, confidential sexual health clinics. The main centre is at Sir Ludwig Guttmann Health and Wellbeing Centre in Stratford, and a satellite clinic is on Forest Road, Walthamstow. Make an appointment on the All East website, or via telephone.

The STI services these clinics offer include (among many other forms of help):

• STI screening including HIV and Hep B testing, and Hep B Vaccination
• treatment of complicated STIs and HIV
• diagnosis and treatment of the following symptoms:
  • unusual genital discharge
  • unusual genital spotting or bleeding
  • genital lumps, bumps itches and rashes.

Positive East offers free HIV testing and STI screening throughout Waltham Forest for adults over 18.

GPs and Pharmacies also provide Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screening if you're under the age of 16.  More information can be found on our GP and Pharmacy page.

Drop-in STI testing clinic

There are also drop-in events held at Limetree Surgery, 321 High Road, Leytonstone, E11 4JT.

The clinic offers discreet STI screening including HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Hepatitis and Chlamydia. 

• Thursday 19 December (2024)
• Thursday 23 January (2025)
• Thursday 20 February
• Thursday 20 March
• Thursday 17 April
• Thursday 15 May

All sessions are held 4pm to 6pm. 

GP practices

GPs can give treatment and advice on almost everything, including contraception, sexual health and abortion. All GP contact details are held on the NHS UK website.

Find your local GP and what they offer.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies can provide sexual health services, such as:

• Emergency contraception
• Condoms through the C-Card scheme (if you are under the age of 25)
• C-Card scheme (if you are under the age of 25)
• Chlamydia Screening Kits
• Pregnancy testing

Find pharmacies near you and what they offer.

Self-screening kits

Self-screening kits can be sent to your home address. Use this service when showing no symptoms or mild symptoms. You can also collect these from local stockists, take samples in a safe space and post them back. All packaging is discreet.

You can get self-screening kits for

• STI & HIV screening for over 16s through Sexual Health London
• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea test kits for 16 to 24s can be ordered on the Free Test website
• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea test kits for under-16s can be picked up from selected outlets. Find a local stockist on the Free Test website.