Services offered at Adelaide Sexual Health Centre

Adelaide Sexual Health Centre provides a free and confidential sexual health service for South Australia. The clinic can be very busy, managing over 17,000 attendances per year. Because of this we prioritise who we see, for more information on these priority groups see below.

Free and confidential telephone interpreters are available at the clinic.

Need to see us during COVID-19?

  • Services are available by appointment only. 
  • Before contacting us, Please complete the “AM I OK” self-assessment tool. This will advise you if you need to attend. At this time we are only able to see people with symptoms of an STI or for PEP or PREP. If you are advised to seek care elsewhere, you will be given options at the end of the self-assessment.
  • people with symptoms of an STI should call us on (08) 7117 2800 to speak to a nurse.

Services available during COVID-19

We are still providing the following services to people within their pre-booked appointment:

  • health advice
  • clinical services for sex workers
  • treatment on the day
  • pregnancy test
  • emergency contraception
  • clinical advice.

Priority groups of clients

We deliver specialist sexual health services especially to those from these priority groups: 

  • men who have sex with men
  • people who identify as Trans or Gender Diverse
  • sex workers, clients of sex workers, and anyone who trades sex for money, goods or services
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and migrants
  • young people (less than 25 years of age)
  • people with sexual health related symptoms
  • people with a sexual partner who has recently been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection

The triage nurse can provide you with information to take to another service to help them test you.

Health advice

Please ask the doctor or nurse any questions you have about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or safer sex.

If you require more detailed information or would like to spend some time talking over your concerns, nurses are available to provide general sexual health information or we can refer you to counselling services.

Routine check-ups

At Adelaide Sexual Health Centre we offer routine check-ups which may include the following:

  • an examination
  • swab tests and/or a urine test
  • blood tests for all the major STIs.

A blood test alone is not a full check-up.

Clinical services for sex workers: SASI Clinic

A free, fully confidential clinical service is provided in a sex worker safe space. The SASI Clinic (South Australian Sex Industry Clinic)  aims to provide high quality sexual health care in a non-judgemental and supportive environment. Sex Industry Network (SIN) peer workers are available through SASI Clinic for support and information.

Appoints are available for sex workers. Contact Adelaide Sexual Health Centre to arrange an appointment. 

Testing for sexually transmitted infections

We test for all STIs and may use any of the following methods to determine if you have a sexually transmitted infection:

  • examination
  • swab tests
  • blood tests
  • urine tests.

In addition to standard testing, we also offer ChEx (express chlamydia) screening. Based on your history, we will determine if ChEx (PDF 269KB) is suitable. ChEx will save you time and you receive the results by SMS.

For more information about ChEx and standard testing see the Chlamydia screening web page or the Testing for STIs page.

Treatment on the day

Drug treatment for common acute conditions is provided free of charge. However, some conditions including chronic (long term) conditions may require prescription medication from a pharmacy.

Fasting is not required for routine blood tests at ASHC. Please ensure that you eat and drink before visiting the centre.

Pregnancy tests

We offer pregnancy tests with on-the-spot results. We can arrange for referral to the South Australian Abortion and Support Services.

Contraception

Emergency contraception is available for women who believe recent unprotected sex has put them at risk of pregnancy. See the Emergency contraception page for more information including side effects and what to expect. Wider choices are available at SHINE SA and your GP. 

Vaccinations

We offer free hepatitis B vaccination to all our clients. See the High Risk Hepatitis B Immunisation Program for more information.

Some clients may also be eligible for free Hepatitis A vaccination and Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination (Gardasil). Please ask your nurse or doctor for more information during your consultation.

Specialist clinical advice

During Business Hours

Adelaide Sexual Health Centre offers clinicians specialist advice on STIs, including HIV post-exposure prophylaxis.  

Outside business hours

For clinical advice outside office hours, contact the on-call Infectious Disease service at: