Supporting young people's sexual health
Supporting young people's sexual health
Choose the service you need
Young people aged 13 and older can get free, confidential sexual health support and treatment at clinics and drop ins across Edinburgh, East, West and Mid Lothian.
Find out more by choosing from the 4 areas below.
Services available:
Young people aged 13 – 18 from any part of Lothian (Edinburgh, East, West or Midlothian), can come to the HR+ young peoples’ sexual health clinic.
The service is a drop-in service and is open:
Chalmers Sexual Health Centre
2a Chalmers Street
Edinburgh
EH3 9ES
There are no appointments, just come during the drop-in times.
Services available:
An HR+ young people’s sexual health clinic is available in Croft Street, Dalkeith.
The clinic is open to young people aged 13 – 18.
Clinics are open on:
Please note this clinic is accessed via a set of stairs.
18 Croft Street
Dalkeith
EH22 3BA
(Opposite Morrisons)
To get an appointment you can either:
Services available:
There is a young people’s sexual health clinic at Howden Health Centre on Fridays, 1pm to 3.30pm.
Howden Health Centre
St John’s Hospital
Howden Road West
Howden
Livingston
EH54 6PP
To get an appointment you can either:
Services available:
An HR+ young people’s sexual health clinic is available in Pennywell All Care Centre, Edinburgh.
The clinic is open to young people aged 13 – 18.
Clinics are open on:
Pennywell All Care Centre
1D Pennywell Gardens
Edinburgh
EH4 4UA
To get an appointment you can either:
Services available:
An HR+ young people’s sexual health clinic is available in Tranent Medical Practice.
The drop-in is open on Tuesdays, 4:00pm to 5:00pm.
If you cannot come to the drop-in during this time, you can phone for an appointment.
Tranent Medical Practice
Loch Road
Tranent
EH33 2JX
To get an appointment you can either:
Services available:
Whitburn Health Centre runs a sexual health clinic on Wednesdays 1:30pm to 7:30pm.
Whitburn Health Centre
1 Weavers Lane
Whitburn
EH47 0SD
Phone 0131 536 1070 to book an appointment. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm.
Services available:
NHS Lothian’s abortion service is called Choices.
If you live in Lothian, have had a positive pregnancy test, and you do not know if you want to continue with the pregnancy, you can talk to someone at Choices. Choices offer confidential, sensitive information about your options. If you choose to have an abortion, Choices will provide the medical care and support you need.
You can self-refer to choices, or you can be referred by your GP or local sexual health service.
You will have your first appointment at the Chalmers Centre, or St John’s Hospital if you live in West Lothian.
There are 3 ways to be referred to Choices:
Services available:
Everyone young person has the right to free confidential sexual health information and access to services.
Some schools offer Healthy Respect sexual health drop-ins. These are safe spaces where you can talk to a youthworker or a nurse about mental health, relationships and sexual health.
If your school does not have a Healthy Respect sexual health drop-in , you ask for help from your school nurse. Every school has a visiting NHS school nurse who offers confidential support. Find out more about confidentiality.
See below for a list of schools who currently have a drop-in.
Schools that offer Healthy Respect services:
School based drop-ins are only open to young people that go to that school.
Look out for posters or signs in school telling you about when the drop-in is open.
You can ask your NHS school nurse, youth worker or teacher for more information.
Services available:
Musselburgh Connect host a weekly Healthy Respect drop-in service. The drop-in is run by NHS school nurses.
The drop-in is for young people aged 13 to 18.
The Gate House, Musselburgh (opposite entrance to Musselburgh Grammar School)
Drop-in open Fridays 12-2pm, school term-time only
Services available:
We work with local young people’s organisations to make sure we provide sexual and emotional wellbeing services as close to your area as we can.
See below for a list of organisations who have a Healthy Respect drop-in their building.
Everyone young person has the right to free confidential sexual health information and access to services.
Services available:
c:card provide free condoms to anyone aged 13 or older living in Lothian.
To get free condoms from c:card, you can visit a c:card point or get condoms by post.
c:card points are located all over Lothian (list and map of c:card points).
You can also get condoms by post.
c:card points are located all over Lothian (list and map of c:card points).
You can also get condoms by post.
Services available:
Most pharmacies can give you free emergency contraception, including if you are under 16.
If you think you need emergency contraception, speak to someone as soon as you can.
There are pharmacies all across Lothian. To find your nearest pharmacy you can try:
Visit the pharmacy during its opening hours.
Services available:
Your GP (doctor) can help you with some of your sexual health care. Some examples of things you might be able to get from your GP are:
Not all GPs offer all of these services. You can check when you phone for an appointment.
The sexual health care you get from a GP is confidential, just the same as it is if you come to a sexual health clinic.
You can speak to your GP by making an appointment by phone or some GP practices let you book appointments online.
