Welcome Video

Men's Sexual Health

 Our thanks to the Gay Health Network for providing us with this information

Further Men’s Sexual Health

Our thanks to BeLonGTo for providing us with this information

Attending a STI Clinic

The 'how, when and where?' of getting tested

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) can be tested for in the Gay Men's Health Service Sexual Health clinic on Baggot Street, and in the Guide Clinic in St James Hospital. Attending a hospital for tests can be daunting for anyone, but guidelines suggest that any sexually active person should be fully screened for STI’s every 6 months. Taking responsibility for one’s own sexual health and their partners is the first step in avoiding STI’s, or catching them early when they can be treated more effectively.

  • In terms of the actual visit to the Guide Clinic what will happen when I attend?
  • In terms of the actual visit to the Gay Men's Health Service what will happen when I attend?

What To Expect when visiting the Guide Clinic in St. James' Hospital

What if I am not sure if I need to attend a STI clinic?
Many people attend clinic when they have symptoms of infection, or if their partner has been diagnosed with an STI. You do not need to have symptoms to attend. Numerous people have infections that they don’t know about. For this reason, it is a good idea to go for a ‘check up’ if you are worried about any possible risks. If in doubt, check it out!

Reception
Upon arrival you will be asked to take a ticket and then register. Your name, contact details and date of birth will be recorded. The confidentiality of your information will be respected. You will be given a card with your clinic number (unique to you) on it. There is usually a wait to see the doctor, so you may wish to bring something to read.

Consultation
The health care provider (a doctor or advanced nurse practitioner) will call you, and take you to an examination room. After discussing the reason for your visit, he or she will ask questions about any symptoms you may be experiencing, as well as assess your risk for infections. These are necessary to determine exactly which tests should be done. Your confidentiality and privacy will be protected.

Examination and Swab Tests
A genital examination is carried out for both men and women. Men should not pass urine for two hours before the examination. Blood is taken to test for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.

Counselling and health advice. Counsellors and health advisors are available to discuss any concerns or questions about having these tests. In addition, they provide advice and counselling in relation to safer sex. Health advisors will also help if you need to inform your partner about an infection.

Results
Initial results (of the swab tests) are usually available within twenty minutes. The remaining results take up to two weeks.

Treatment
If the examination or tests indicate an infection, treatment may be started on the same day. All treatments are free of charge.

STI Information
Health advisors and other staff are available to discuss sexually transmitted infections and safer sex with you. Written literature on STIs is also available in the clinic.

Follow up and Results
Results are available after two weeks (some tests such as smear results take longer). Please notify the clinic if your address or phone number change. If further treatment is required follow up appointments can be booked with reception.

Other STI clinics available at the Guide Clinic
Young Persons Clinic (YPC): Those under 18 are invited to attend this clinic instead of the general STI clinic. Opening times for this Clinic are 10.00am till 1.00pm Thursday only. No appointment needs to be made for this service but it is advisable to get their early as it is first come first served basis.

Nurse Led Clinic: Treatments are carried out in this clinic; a referral to attend is made by a health care worker at the main STI clinic.

What to Expect When Visiting the Gay Mens Health Service in Baggot Street

Your First Visit Details
You will be called by this number to talk to a member of staff and to be registered. The clinic can be very busy, so your first visit could last from 45 to 150 minutes. We try to see everyone before 8.30pm (20.30hr). Other men attending this clinic may have just walked or may have a return appointment.

FIRST VISIT: What happens?

  1. Greeting: You will meet a member of staff who will ask you what servicesyou require. You then wait to be called by your number for registration
  2. New Registration. The receptionist will call your number. You will be asked for your name; address and especially for a contact telephone number; date of birth; and what Country or County in Ireland you were born. This information is confidential to this clinic only and we use the mobile number to SMS results to you (in one week) and for reminders if missed appointment etc. After registration you will be directed to second waiting area.

    NOTE: After registration we call you by your first name and initials of your family name.

  3. Assessment. A member of staff will then call you to see a doctor, counsellor or nurse.
  4. Reference Card: You will receive a card with your reference number please hold on to it or write the number somewhere.

Additional Information:

  • We can provide language translation if needed via telephone or in person if contacted 24 hours before you arrive.
  • An ISL Interpreter is also available if we are contacted by SMS (text) 24 to 48 hours advance to 087 941 0934.
  • Wheelchair Access is available.

Gay Men's Health Service STI Clinic

The Gay Men's Health Service Clinic, Baggot Street Hospital, Dublin 4. (near the No 10 Bus Stop)
Tel: + 353 1 669 9553
SMS: 087 941 0934.
E: gmhsclinic@hse.ie

The STI clinical services are for all gay, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men. They are free, friendly and confidential.

TUESDAYS AND WENDESDAYS WALK-IN DOORS OPEN 17.00 TO 19.30

Full STI Screening (swabs) and Blood Tests for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis, The Hepatitis Vaccine, Genital Warts and Other Treatments, Information, Advice, Counselling and Support.

Results Back In One Week: You may have an initial swab result at the clinic but most results (including the HIV test) are back in ONE week.
Doctors provide medical services: screenings, treatment, advice and support. Also referrals if necessary for further treatment or other medical investigations.
Nurses provide blood testing and vaccinations and further advice and support where necessary.

Triage: A nurse chats with clients on arrival to assess what services are needed. The doctors can see up to 12 men each men at the clinic.
A Health Advisor (HA) in sexual health, advises and supports those with an STI infection, and encourages that their recent sexual contact/s attend for screenings.

Counselling is an important aspect of the service, especially in relation to the men who are at risk. All first time clients meet with a counsellor. They provide pre-HIV test counselling, sexual risk assessment and clarification of services. Support and counselling is provided to anyone receiving a HIV positive diagnosis.
An Outreach worker meets and greets clients in the waiting room, provides information on sexual health and other community services, reassures and offers procedural information to newcomers to the Clinic.

GMHS Assistants provide a back up to the medical team and also engage with the clients, taking and giving appointment cards, issuing numbers.

Pregnancy - What do I do?

A young man usually experiences a range of responses to an unplanned pregnancy, depending on the nature of his relationship with the woman who has become pregnant. Often, if the relationship is not close, the man may not even be told of the pregnancy.

Some young men, out of fear and anxiety about what the pregnancy may mean to them, do not want to be involved with the pregnancy at all.

Many men, however, particularly those in committed relationships, naturally feel a sense of shared responsibility for an unplanned pregnancy and want very much to explore the situation mutually with their partner, whatever their own fears and anxieties. 

In fact, they may be quite burdened by feelings of responsibility and often struggle to find the best way to support their partner and cope with their own feelings about the pregnancy. They frequently feel helpless and upset by the woman's emotional responses, as well as their own, which can be difficult to understand. Sometimes this leads men to try and solve or fix the situation quickly.

We encourage any man who is involved in a crisis pregnancy situation to take the time to reflect on his own needs, feelings and responsibilities, as well as his partner's, and whenever possible to mutually explore all the available and appropriate options for handling the situation. If a man and his partner are able to undertake this exploration together, the risk of long-term emotional distress from the experience can be minimised.

Protecting Yourself

Safer sex, for HIV, is any sexual activity that doesn’t allow infected semen, vaginal fluid or blood to pass from one person into the bloodstream of another person.

Sex without condoms, for example, can allow infected semen to enter the bloodstream of the receptive partner (“bottom” partner) through the lining of the anus, or vagina for sex with women. Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV transmission. Condoms also offer some protection against a range of other STIs. They do this by preventing transfer of infected fluids or by covering infected sites. However, because STIs are transmitted in a variety of ways the protection condoms give is not complete.

Effective Condom Use

When used properly condoms stop the transmission of HIV and reduce the transmission of other STIs.

Condom Use Guidelines:

Condoms come in different shapes and sizes (eg tighter fitting, regular, larger fitting, flared) - choose the best for you;

  • Check the use by date
  • Take care not to tear the condom when opening the packet;
  • Squeeze the air out of the tip and roll the condom all the way down to the base of the penis
  • Use lots of lube;
  • Check from time to time that the condom is still intact and apply more lube;
  • When pulling out, hold the condom by the base so it doesn’t slip off;
  • Only use condoms once
  • Throw them in the bin not down the toilet.

Where Can I Get Condoms?

Condoms are available for free in OUThouse Community Resource centre, 105 Capel Steet, Dublin 1.

Lube

Always use a water or silicone based lube. Oil based lubes (eg hand cream, Vaseline) weaken condoms and can cause them to break. Using no lube or using saliva puts extra strain on the condom making it more likely to break.

Using plenty of lube is one way to prevent condom breakage – the more the better. You may need to re-apply lube several times when having sexual intercourse.

Avoid putting lube on your penis before putting the condom on as it’s more likely to slip off.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are infections that are passed on from an infected partner(s) during unprotected sex (vaginal, anal and oral). They are caused by specific bacteria and viruses. In some cases, you may be at risk even if you don’t have full sex. Kissing and touching each other’s genitals may pass on some STIs.

There are at least 25 different types of STIs. All of them are serious but most are completely treatable. They can however, cause long term problems if they aren't diagnosed and treated properly. If you are having sex you should have regular check ups for sexually transmitted infections. The most common STIs in Ireland are genital warts, non-specific urethritis (NSU) and chlamydia.

Who can catch an STI infection?

Most STIs or STDs are infections that pass from person to person through sexual activity without protection (those super handy condoms again!). It is possible to catch an STI from vaginal, anal and oral sex or from touching each other’s genitals or mutual masturbation. Having unprotected sex even ONCE can put you at risk of getting an STI

How can I tell if I have an STI (sexually transmissible infection)?

Remember, if you are infected with an STI you may not develop any symptoms at all. An STI screening is the only way to diagnose any of these infections.
However STIs can produce a wide range of symptoms including:

  • Discharge from your penis or anus
  • Pain when passing urine
  • Discomfort or pain in the penis or anus
  • Blood in urine or feces
  • Swollen balls (testicles)
  • Sores (ulcers/blisters) or growths on or around your penis, vagina or anus
  • Rashes
  • Itching or irritation in the vagina, penis or anus
  • Sores/ulcers/blisters in or around the mouth
  • Inflamed and swollen lymph glands in the groin
  • Swollen lymph glands in the armpit or neck
  • Sore Throat
  • Fever and feeling ill

If you notice any of these symptoms or you feel you may have been infected you should contact your STI clinic or doctor immediately. The sooner the infections are treated the less chance there is of infecting others or of serious health problems later in life.

What Is Sexual Health?

This is defined by the World Health organisation as ‘the integration of physical, emotional, intellectual and social aspects of sexuality in a way that positively enriches and promotes personality, communication and love’.

Sexual health is about having a positive, informed and respectful approach to your sexuality and the sexuality of others, and having a positive, informed and respectful approach to your sexual relationships and those of others.

Sexual health is also about having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, which do not involve violence, discrimination of any kind or make your feel under pressure to do something sexual that you are not comfortable with.

Everybody has the right to freedom of choice and respect in relation to sexuality and sexual relationships., including the right to say No. Your sexual relationships should make you feel respected and safe at all times, and should become a fulfilling part of your life.

In life this might mean:

  • That your sexuality is respected regardless of persuasion or preference (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Straight or Transgender). In other words, regardless of your sexuality, you will not experience any prejudice, bias or sexual coercion (pressure to do something sexual that you are not comfortable with).
  • That you know about contraception and safer sex, and have access to safer sex information, safer sex protection and contraception.
  • That you have enjoyable and fulfilling sexual experiences and sexual relationships.
  • That your sexual partners treat you with respect.
  • That you don’t feel pressurised into doing anything that you are not comfortable with or not ready for, for example, having sex for the first time or having oral or anal sex.