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► Sources of advice
The best place to go for advice about, and/or treatment for any aspect of sexual health is your local GUM clinic.
1) GUM clinics specialise in sexual health and the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and will be able to offer you specialised treatment and advice efficiently and quickly.
2) GUM clinics are covered by different legislation to GP's. This allows patients to be treated in confidence. This means that any information about treatment you receive at a GUM clinic and the results of any tests you might have will not appear on your medical records that your GP holds.
This is important because Mortgage and Life Assurance Companies often request sexual health information from GP's who are obliged by law to disclose such details and this may affect your chances of obtaining a mortgage or life cover, e.g. some companies may refuse cover after the applicant has had an HIV test, regardless of the result.
For advice on the range of different contraceptive methods available you can visit the Family Planning Clinic. Specially trained Doctors and Nurses will provide you with contraception to suit your needs as well as free condoms, emergency contraception and smear tests. The advice and treatment you receive at a Family Planning Clinic is confidential and information will not be passed to your GP unless you request this. It is important also that your GP knows which method of contraception you are using because some drugs can alter the effectiveness of the contraception (especially the pill).
