Clinic relocation improves access to sexual health one-stop-shop for Croydon residents
19 March 2018
Croydon Health Services is bringing together their Contraception and Sexual Health service (CASH) and Sexual Health clinic (GUM) at Croydon University Hospital, to make an even better one-stop-shop for our local community.
From 24 March the CASH service, which is currently based on Edridge Road in Croydon town centre, will relocate just 1.4miles up the road, to the main hospital site on London Road. The Sexual Health Clinic at CUH will provide the full range of free and confidential services, six days a week.
The move is taking place after £150k building investment to improve facilities for patients at the CUH site.
The integration of these two teams means more people will have easier access to services at one location, including more complex STI testing and treatment and all methods of contraception. Currently, CASH patients would have to attend the Sexual Health clinic at CUH for any symptoms requiring extra tests - by the end of March, they will be able to do it all in one place.
Staff currently at Edridge Road will also relocate meaning the CUH clinic will have a bigger team to care for patients at busier times and will help to further improve waiting times. The clinic will also have the added benefit of access to urgent senior clinical support and back up from the wider Sexual Health team based at the hospital when required for complex cases.
The new service will offer ‘Walk-in & Wait’ sessions between Mondays and Saturdays, with a dedicated clinic on Tuesday afternoons for under 18’s. Saturday appointments will be for contraception and ‘Test & Go’ - this allows attendees to come for routine STI tests without the need to see a doctor.
Consultation with current service users has shown the move has been positively received, with 78% saying that the relocation will better for them or will be of no disadvantage to them.