Online tour of sexual health clinic

Monday 11th February 2008

A youth charity has launched an initiative which will allow teenagers to take a virtual tour of a sexual health clinic.

It is hoped the video, which was filmed at the John Hunter Clinic at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, will move to dispel myths around sexual health screening and encourage more youngsters to get tested for sexually transmitted infections.

The tour, which can be taken on the YouthNet website, features interviews with sexual health nurses and shows young people what they can expect from a check-up.

Fiona Dawe, chief executive of YouthNet, said: "Sexual health is the second most popular discussion topic on TheSite.org, and through our discussion boards and askTheSite service, we know there is a lot of uncertainty about what sexual health screening involves.

"With the virtual tour young people can see for themselves what's behind the doors of a GUM (Genito-Urinary Medicine) clinic, hopefully dispelling the myths surrounding sexual health testing and encouraging more to get tested."

A recent UK Youth Parliament survey of over 20,000 young people in England, revealed that only 49% knew where their local sexual health clinic was, while 73% rated their school sex education as "poor", "very poor" or "average".

Click here to watch the video

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust

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