Top FAQs

• Is PrEP available on the NHS in England?

  NHS England and Public Health England have announced a three-year long clinical trial involving at least 10,000 participants to establish how to get the drugs to the right people, how popular it would be and for how long they would take PrEP.

  It follows the recent Court of Appeal ruling that NHS England, alongside local authorities, has the power, although not the obligation, to fund the provision of PrEP.

  The first phase of implementation will be the launch of a large scale clinical trial in early financial year 2017/18. Umbrella has welcomed the initiative and will be aiming to be involved in the trial.

  Although the evidence around the clinical effectiveness of PrEP is strong, advice from Public Health England has highlighted significant outstanding implementation questions that should be answered prior to using PrEP in a sustained way on a substantial scale in England. These questions will be answered by the clinical trial, paving the way for full rollout.

• Can I have a cervical screening test (smear test) at an Umbrella clinic?

  No, Umbrella clinics don’t carry out cervical screening tests. Women aged 25 – 64 who are registered with a GP practice should receive a letter inviting them to have tests as required.

  More on cervical screening

• Can I contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI) from having oral sex?

  Yes, being wet and warm, the mouth provides the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes are all prime candidates.

  Flavoured condoms and dental dams are designed to help prevent the transmission of STIs through oral sex. However, the majority of people choose not to use them.

  If you suspect your partner may have had an infection or if you've developed a sore throat, or have unusual mucus/discharge in your mouth then it's worth visiting your local Umbrella clinic.

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  To be perfectly safe you should always use condoms and dental dams for oral sex.

  How to avoid STIs

• Will my parents/carers be told if I am given contraception?

  Health workers have to keep anything you tell them private but they will usually encourage you to talk to your parent or carer.

  If a health worker thinks there is a risk to your health, safety or welfare they might need to share your information with someone else. The risk would need to be serious and the health worker would usually discuss this with you first.

• I had sex with someone I think might have HIV, and the condom broke. What should I do?

  If it’s been less than 72 hours since the condom broke, you may be able to take medication that could keep you from getting infected with HIV, even if your partner is HIV-positive. This medication is called post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE).

  More on PEPSE

  If it’s been longer than 72 hours, PEPSE will not protect you from HIV, and you will need to explore HIV testing options. In most cases, you will have to wait at least 2 weeks after possible exposure to infection before an HIV test can provide accurate results.

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