Young people's sexual health
Promoting good sex and relationships is important to ensure young people have positive sexual health throughout their lives.
Services in Wandsworth and the local area
Sexual health services from several national and local organisations are available to young people in Wandsworth.
Getting it on
Getting it on offers information for young people aged 13 to 19 about mental health, sexual health, drugs and alcohol, and healthy relationships in South West London.
Come Correct
Young people under the age of 25 can get free condoms from the Come Correct scheme available across several boroughs in London.
Get it - METRO sexual health
Get it is a free and confidential online service for young people aged 25 and under living in Wandsworth, to order free condoms, lube, and chlamydia tests.
GPs, pharmacies, and clinics
GPs in Wandsworth may offer chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests if you are sexually active and under the age of 25. Please ask your GP for more information.
Several pharmacies and clinics in Wandsworth provide free services for young people, including:
Sexual Health South West London
Visit the Sexual Health South West London website for a full list of clinics across Wandsworth, Richmond, and Merton that offer free and confidential advice, contraception, STI testing, and treatment.
Local clinics include:
You do not need your GP to refer you for care, nor do you need to live locally. You can also find other clinics and services near you on the NHS website.
Contraception
You can visit your GP surgery for free contraception, or check the Sexual Health South West London website, for a list of clinics across Wandsworth and South West London.
These clinics provide a full range of contraception, including routine and emergency contraception, as well as long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) such as the coil (IUD/IUS) and implant.
Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC)
Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or your contraception has failed (e.g. a missed pill or split condom). The sooner you take it, the more effective it will be.
There are two types of emergency contraception:
- The emergency contraceptive pill (often called the 'morning after' pill) needs to be taken within 3 to 5 days to be effective
- The intrauterine device (IUD or coil) can be fitted up to five days after unprotected sex
Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) is available for free from your local ISH service, pharmacies, and GP surgeries. You can also access free condoms and chlamydia tests at your local pharmacy and ISH services.
At home STI testing
The services below offer free at home STI testing kits for Londoners aged 16 and over.
Sexual Health London (SHL)
Sexual Health London (SHL) offers a free and convenient online testing programme for Londoners aged 16 and over with mild or no STI symptoms.
The programme provides STI testing kits for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Kits can be delivered to your home or collected from a local sexual health clinic.
Freetesting (SH:24)
Freetesting (SH:24) is the national HIV testing service providing free online HIV tests for sexually active individuals aged 16 and over. You can choose to have the kit delivered in discreet packaging to any address, and there is also an option to test for syphilis.
Further information
Our sexual health page provides more information and details of local services.