To think this service is unacceptable?

[moralberyll]

My dd attended a large contraception and sexual health clinic today which previously offered a walk in service where you could sit and wait to be seen or book an appointment in advance, today she was told that it is now an appointment only system and the next available appointment isn't for another 2 weeks! Her gp won't prescribe contraception and just refers people to this clinic, so what are young people supposed to do? I thought we were supposed to be encouraging young people to take control of there sexual health and prevent teenage pregnancy? The rational thing to do would be to abstain or use condoms until an appointment becomes available but teenagers aren't always rational beings are they!

My GP is trialling this at the moment. It’s a pain. I had an appointment for something else last week and they’ll usually do a quick pill check at the end; but now it’s a referral to a clinic that’s booked until the end of the month.

I’ll cope but it’s silly.

Shelly, my dd can as she is mature and she can talk to me about it, I am not concerned for her but I am concerned for other vulnerable young people.

There is no way he should be in charge of her sexual health/fertility if she wasent able to have access to contraception.

There is a much, much bigger issue here than how long it takes to get an appointment. You can't conflate the two things, surely.

Well, you are worrying about hypothetical situations unnecessarily then. Your daughter can abstain or use alternative methods and now she knows the new booking procedures she would be caught short again.

You can buy the contraceptive pill online (it's expensive) I have don't this before when I haven't been able to get an appointment and go has refused to supply until I have had a review.

And it does seem wrong that anyone has to wait 2 weeks for an appointment .

And I dont think op started the thread due to concerns about her daughter (she will make sure her daughter has condoms and is sensible), I think her point is that lots of girls are not sensible or can't afford condoms.

Hi OP, I understand what you’re saying. I, too, couldn’t get my chosen contraception from my GP and had to go to a clinic that runs for only 2 hours a week (during work hours). It took months to find a week when I could make it then I had to wait another month to actually get the coil fitted and I was told not to have sex before or after the fitting (even with a condom). Before the process was finished, the clinic closed and merged with a sexual health clinic. I’m 35 with two kids and the process was long-winded and difficult. Contraception needs to be encouraged and made readily available to young women. It’s a hugely important subject. I think many of the issues stem from NHS funding cuts.

Condoms are much better for sexual health (and health in general) than the pill or implant or similar. Condoms protect against STD's as well as unwanted pregnancy.

Condoms are available in most shops and supermarkets. So to answer your question, young people either need to wait two weeks or do what most people do and buy them. Most teenagers I know have money - you can get a pack of 12 for a fiver on Amazon.

I was thinking that it was due to cuts as well cardey, there used to be sexual health services everywhere years ago and now it's bloody difficult to try and access them.

Don't worry about what other people do, and take care of your daughter. Buy her some condoms, if you have to.

I am surprised her GP won't deal with this though. But you'd probably wait 2 weeks for a appointment there too!

We have a bonkers system for a sexual health clinic in my area too. I recently wanted to get contraceptive implant removed. It counts as minor surgery which they wouldn't do at my gp surgery (although they put it in there and a lot of gp surgeries will remove it). They told me to go to sexual health clinic which was a drop in system. I phoned up to check it was open as website wasn't clear. It was open but it was only for under 25's, anyone older had to make an appointment on a Weds or a Fri between 9-12. I ask to do that then, I can't make an appointment. It's drop in only. You drop in, get a number, and will hopefully be seen that day as long as you get there early enough. But I couldn't bring my baby with me as it might upset people. And I might not see anyone anyway. Dh ended up having to take 2 days off work so I could get the bloody thing removed.

It's ridiculous. Contraception should be easily available at your own doctor's. Is it one of those outsourcing initiative things? Save a few quid on an inadequate contraception service and lose a hell of a lot more on supporting unplanned pregnancies.

It's like our services are just disintegrating right in front of our eyes, even the services for the most vulnerable, fucking conservative government.

In answer to your question OP, no I don't think this is an acceptable level of service either.

I was on the pill back in the 70's and remember getting an appointment at the family planning clinic - which was open 5 days per week and 2 or 3 evenings too - within a day or two whenever I phoned. (Very large city centre clinic too!)

Many things have definitely NOT changed for the better!

Oh and for those saying "Can't she just wait 2 weeks"? Have you forgotten what it was like being a teenager and madly in lust ?

I'm really surprised at the responses to this thread.

Access to contraception is a cornerstone of women's liberation - sorry, I realise how soapbox-y that sounds, but it's true.

Women shouldn't have to just wait two weeks for an appointment, especially if they're unable to access contraception via their GP...?

Yes, buying condoms is an option. For some people.

Noticed it in our area too. Cuts to sexual health clinics. Now in mostly inaccessible locations with inaccessible opening times and long waits for appointments.

There are multiple alternatives but you seem to implying she can't possibly use one of the alternatives or just wait 2 weeks

These are kids we are talking about. Give your head a wobble.

Pretty much all doctors surgeries in my area run a drop in clinic for under 25s every week - you don't need to be a patient of the practice to attend.

Every other service in the country is subject to cuts, unfortunately sexual health will be one of them. But there are options and as most teens have more access to information than ever before then whilst it's not ideal, it's not the end of the world.

I'm in no way perfect but I do expect people who are having sex to have a good awareness these days of the consequences and if they are unable to use alternatives or abstain for two weeks then what do they do with D&V etc?

And kids? I think we need to make up our mind if we are talking about young adults or kids.

I think you are right dowager, seems like it's only women's health so it doesn't matter.

Shelly, my dd can as she is mature and she can talk to me about it, I am not concerned for her but I am concerned for other vulnerable young people.

You seem to think this is a slightcagainst young people. The rules are the same for everyone.

When I was in the pill for a few years in the early 2000s I would have had to wait that length if time to see my GP. In fact I still would have to.

It isn't 'women's health' we're talking about here. It's two teenagers who want a shag, and don't want to wait two weeks. Or buy their own condoms.

arethere that is women's health. Almost all women's health issues that are specific to women are about their fertility, the impact of their fertility on their bodies, their fertility being compromised or needing to suspend their fertility. That is actually a large part of what women's health is.

If they can't afford a condom they can't afford to be shagging!

Why won't the GP prescribe?

It's not 2 weeks anyway, is it? Don't you have to start the Pill on a given day of your cycle? So if you miss that, you're going to have to wait another month?