Women's Health
SEXUAL HEALTH
A range of sexual health services are offered at the surgery including:
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Contraception and contraception advice
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Emergency contraception and emergency contraception advice
If you need advice and support with a sexual health matter or you think you have a problem you would like to discuss, please call the surgery to make an appointment with your GP.
Sexual health services are freely available for everyone.
For more information please visit the websites below:
Visit our page for more information here
CERVICAL SCREENING
Cervical screening, or smear test, is a method of detecting abnormal (pre-cancerous) cells in the cervix in order to prevent cervical cancer. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina.
Cervical screening is recommended every three years for women aged 25 to 49 and every five years for women aged 50 to 64 or more frequently if smear results indicates abnormal changes.
Cervical screening is not a test for cancer; it is a test to check the health of the cells of the cervix. Most women’s test results show that everything is normal, but for 1 in 20 women the test will show some abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.
Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells may go back to normal on their own. However, in some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming cancerous.
At Dr Ali's Practice our nurse is qualified to carry out cervical screening and tests in the form of cervical smears. In order to have a cervical smear the patient must have received a letter requesting that they have a cervical smear and the appointment must please be made for when the patient is not menstruating.
These appointments typically take around 10 minutes.
For any further information or to book an appointment, please call the surgery or see our service list here
EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
If you’ve forgotten to take your pill, your condom split or you’ve had unprotected sex in the last 72 hours then you may need emergency contraception, and the sooner you take it the better.
Emergency contraception is available free from Contraception and Sexual Health Services, some GPs (family doctors) and most pharmacies (chemists), even if you’re under 16.
If you’ve had unprotected sex or your condom failed, it is also really important to consider your risk for sexually transmitted infections and to think about your long-term contraception needs.
Please phone the surgery to book an emergency appointment.
If you miss the 72 hours it is still possible to have an emergency coil fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex. You can have an emergency coil fitted for free at your local sexual health clinic.
BREAST SCREENING
Breast screening is put in place in order to aim to find breast cancer early. In England breast screening is currently being offered to women aged 50 up to their 71st birthday.
You will receive your first invitation for screening within 3 years of your 50th birthday, although in some areas you’ll be invited from the age of 47 as part of the new age extension trial, following this all women registered with a GP will have follow up screening every 3 years.
By attending your breast screening appointment you reduce the risks. The earlier breast cancer is found the less likely women are to need treatment such as a mastectomy or chemotherapy because of breast cancer being detected at an early stage.
For more information on breast screening please visit NHS Breast Screening Overview
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