Nurse keen to prevent 'baby boom' urges Worksop people to use clinic's sexual health phone triage

Kelly O'Brien, a nurse practitioner at TriHealth Bassetlaw, says despite the Government’s strict social distancing rules it is possible people are still meeting for sex in the town.

Though Kelly said the clinic discouraged any defiance of public health measures she and colleagues were keen to keep unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections under control.

The clinic offers advice and treatment for sexual health problems and help with contraception.

Kelly, who also works promoting sexual health in the community, said if sexually-active couples failed to use its services this could lead to ‘added pressure on termination services’ in the worst case scenario.

The clinic usually operates face-to-face appointments - which are often ‘full to capacity’.

However clinicians can now still discuss patients’ concerns over the phone - taking a medical history and going from there.

Workers at the centre can outline various options - including sexual health swabs or medication being sent to patients’ home addresses.

She said: “If the clinician feels an examination is necessary people may be asked to attend a face to face appointment - but we are still an essential service and we’re here to support them.

“People don’t seem to be getting the message that we’re open for that - the service has changed but we’re open for support and, if needs be, a face-to-face appointment.

“We want people to ring us - to know there are options available such as the postal service for contraception.”

Kelly said although contraceptive pills could be posted to women there were some women for whom a contraceptive injection was the only option - due to certain medical conditions or medications they may be taking.

She added: “Women in this group may be asked to attend a face-to-face appointment.”Though sit-and-wait clinics have been cancelled for the time-being patients can request a call back from a clinician through the clinic’s telephone triage service by calling 01909 571571 during the clinic’s new opening times of 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.

The clinic is also still offering emergency contraception including emergency coil fittings and tablets.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor