Contraception

Reliable contraception is essential

Contraception helps protect you from pregnancy. If you don’t want to have a baby, reliable contraception is essential. Sexwise helps you compare different methods to find the right one for you.

You can get contraception free from:

Your GP – your GP can prescribe the pill
Some GPs can also give you other methods such as an implant or intrauterine device (coil). If they don’t offer that service, they can refer you to a GP that can
You can contact NHS Blackpool sexual health services who offer a range of methods
If you’re under 25, you can also contact Connect
All of these services offer free pregnancy testing

Emergency contraception

If you think your contraception has failed or you’ve had unprotected sex, you can use emergency contraception. You need to do this as soon as possible. There are two different types of emergency contraception available – emergency contraceptive pill (Levonelle or ellaOne) and emergency IUD

Emergency contraception can be very effective, especially if you have an IUD fitted or if the emergency contraceptive pill is taken soon after sex.

If you need emergency contraception, you can get it free from:

Your GP, though not all GPs can give you an IUD
Blackpool sexual health services who offer all methods

If you’re 16 or over, you can buy the emergency contraceptive pill from most pharmacies, in person or online.

Sterilisation

If you want a vasectomy (male sterilisation) or female sterilisation, contact your GP for who would need to make the referral.

PSHE

Personal, social, health and economic education is a school curriculum subject in England that focuses on strengthening the knowledge, skills, and connections to keep children and young people healthy and safe and prepare them for life and work.

Schools should refer to the DfE statutory guidance to inform their delivery.

In addition, below are resources designed to support you in your work within schools around implementation of relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education. It includes the latest links to RSHE resources and trusted national organisations.

1. Consulting with parents and pupils, and developing policy
2. What to teach and how to teach it
3. Sustaining success

Key areas of RSHE

The introduction of statutory RSHE in September 2020 focuses on mandatory education in the following areas:

Mental wellbeing

Internet safety and harms

Physical health and fitness

Healthy eating

Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

Health and prevention

Basic first aid

Changing adolescent body

STI Symptom Checker

Unusual discharge
Pain, burning or increase in weeing
Rashes, lumps or blisters
Stinging, itching or tingling
Pain and/or bleeding during sex
Bleeding after sex

Pain in the testicles (balls)
Pain or tenderness in the lower tummy
Irregular bleeding
Strong, unpleasant smell from the vagina after sex
Painful swelling of penis, testicles or foreskin
Brown eggs on pubic or other body hair
No Symptoms

Get tested if you have any of these symptoms, a sexual partner has symptoms or you’re worried after having sex without a condom. Many STIs have no symptoms at all, like HIV. The only way to know for sure is to get tested.