A GUM clinic plays a vital part in controlling the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Not everyone who uses them will have such a condition but many do. It is an unfortunate fact that some infections can be present without any obvious signs or symptoms. So it is quite common for someone to have an infection and not know anything about it. Without treatment a few of these infections (though not all) can lead to more serious health problems. By this stage it can be very difficult to sort out complications that might have occurred. It is for this reason that you may be asked about current or previous sexual partners.

So how can partners be encouraged to attend a clinic?

Health advisers will help you to work out how far to go back in assessing which partners should be seen. This will vary according to the condition you have and your own individual circumstances. It may be helpful to rehearse with them how to phrase things or introduce the topic into the conversation. You may be given a printed piece of paper called a ‘contact slip’ to pass on to a partner. This should be taken to their local clinic and will greatly assist them in getting the correct tests and possibly treatment.

The health adviser may ask you if you would be prepared to give any details of partners. This can be as much as you know or are prepared to reveal at this stage. We appreciate that talking to partners past and present about infection risks can be extremely hard. Understandably some choose not to do it and this is where clinic staff can help. Partners can be contacted discreetly by them or from another GUM clinic without divulging your details. You may not have full information about them but progress can sometimes be made with incomplete facts.