Sexual Health and HIV services - Belfast Trust

What the service does

Belfast Trust provides a wide range of sexual health and HIV services. Anyone can come to one of our sexual health clinics – you do not need to live in Belfast or be referred by your GP.

The sexual health service has two separate entrances at the Royal Hospital site, Side A and Side B. Please enter through either side and register with the reception before your appointment. There is a further clinic based at the Crumlin Road Health Centre.

The clinics, sometimes called GUM clinics (for genito-urinary medicine), offer:

• testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)  Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) ( at sexualhealthni)
• free condoms
• pregnancy testing
• hepatitis A and B vaccinations
• safer sex education
• management of erectile dysfunction and other sexual dysfunctions (GP referral only)
• support and counselling
• human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
• behavioural interventions aimed at reducing sexual risk
• post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV

More detailed information on HIV service (at belfasttrust.hscni.net)

How to access the service

Making an appointment

There are two ways to make a GUM clinic appointment:

• Contact the clinic directly on the appointment phone line – 028 9615 2111 – between 8.15am and 11.00am, Monday to Friday (HIV patients should contact an alternative number). The appointment phone line is extremely busy – please listen carefully to each option and follow the instructions provided.
• Talk to your GP – they can make a referral and get an appointment for you, although this may take longer.

Your appointment will be with a doctor or specialist nurse.

The clinic is open from Monday to Friday. It is closed on weekends and bank holidays.

If you need advice when our clinic is closed, please call the NHS sexual health helpline on: 0800 567 123.

Sexual health screening is also available in other trusts across Northern Ireland. You can go to any of these clinics regardless of where you live and you may be able to get an earlier appointment by doing so.

More information on GUM clinics ( at sexualhealthni)

Unable to keep your appointment?

The demand on our service is high. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment.

You can also notify us by email if you wish to cancel: GUMapptCancelLine@belfasttrust.hscni.net. Please note this email address is for the cancellation of GUM clinic appointments only and you will not receive a personal response.

To rearrange your appointment, please contact the clinic directly on 028 9615 2111 between 8.15am and 11.00am, Monday to Friday.

What to do before you come to your appointment

• Everyone: Please bring details of any medications you are taking.
• Men: It would be helpful if you did not pass urine for two hours before your appointment.
• Women: It would be helpful if you brought a note of when you had your last period and smear test.

GUM clinic locations

 Our main GUM clinic is located on Level 3 of the Outpatients Centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The easiest way to access the clinic is from the Falls Road entrance. Access is also available through the main hospital following the directions for Level 3 Outpatients Department.

Crumlin Road Clinic There is a GUM clinic based at the Crumlin Road Health Centre, 94 – 100 Crumlin Road, Belfast, BT14 6AR. You will be advised if your appointment is at the Crumlin Road clinic by the clinician completing triage.

QUB clinic There is a walk in GUM clinic in QUB students union during term time on Mondays 10-3pm. This offers sexual health advice, testing, vaccines and some treatments.

Other services

HIV testing is also available at Positive Life and the Rainbow Project.