Grey Bruce Public Health hopes to improve timely sexual health services and encourage sexually active people to make testing for sexually transmitted diseases part of their wellness routine.
Public Health will provide Sexual Health Clinics on various days in five communities throughout the region. Regular clinics are being added in Hanover, Southampton, and Kincardine.
Existing weekly Sexual Health Clinics will also continue to operate in both Owen Sound and Wiarton.
The expansion is being offered on a trial basis, depending on how many people use the clinics. Public health says your best source for sexual health care is your doctor, but many people do not have one.
“Taking care of your sexual and reproductive health is critical to maintaining your overall health and well-being. However, we know that many people may have delayed seeking out services, such as testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or screening for cervical cancer, during the pandemic and that current strains on the healthcare system can make it difficult to get an appointment for routine matters, like getting a prescription for birth control,” says Gillian Jordan, Program Manager of Sexual Health at GBPH. “We hope that by expanding our sexual health services to more communities in Grey-Bruce, we can help to remove some of the barriers to accessing these services.”
The clinics will offer safe sex education and supplies along with STI testing and treatment, low-cost contraceptives, pregnancy testing and counselling.
A local family Doctor will support the Hanover clinic, which will offer expanded sexual and reproductive health services, including cervical cancer screening (Pap smear test), IUD insertion and removals.
GBPH Sexual Health Clinic services are now available in:
· Owen Sound, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Grey Bruce Public Health, 101 17th St. E.;
· Hanover, Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hanover Medical Associates Building, 118 7th Ave.;
· Kincardine, on the first Tuesday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at the CMHA building, 865 Queen St.;
· Southampton, on the third Tuesday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at the CMHA building, 353 High St.;
· Wiarton, on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at The Green House, 527 Berford St.
Appointments are preferred and same-day appointments are often available. Call Public Health at 519-376-9420 ext. 1256 or email theclinic@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca to book an appointment or for more information. Available clinic dates and times can also be found on the Sexual Health webpage at publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.