Useful resources

Below are helpful online resources, websites supported by the Sexual Health NI – Public Health Agency (PHA).
Please note: Some of these links lead to external sites, and the PHA is not responsible for their content.

• Helplines

  Accessing abortion – information on abortion services in Northern Ireland

  Helplines NI – Helplines NI provides details of over 30 different helplines operating across Northern Ireland; offering a variety of vital support services including, information, advice, counselling, a listening ear and be-friending, and offer immediate support to those with a wide-range of health and wellbeing needs

  Cara-Friend – Support and training for the LGBTQIA+ young people
  Switchboard NI: 0808 800 0390

  Childline – Childline offers counselling, advice and support to children and young people. You can call, chat, email or sign to a counsellor online, or find other resources; free and confidential 24-hour helpline
  Freephone: 0800 1111

  Common Youth – Free & Confidential Sexual Health & Wellbeing Advice
  Common Youth provides free, confidential sexual health services for young people aged 24 and under. Clinics are based in Belfast and Coleraine.

  Lifeline – Lifeline is Northern Ireland’s crisis response helpline
  Freephone: 0808 808 8000
  Textphone: 18001 0808 808 8000

  Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) – In an emergency telephone 999. Crime-stoppers: 0800 555 111 (to call anonymously about a crime).

  The Rowan  – Sexual Assault Referral Centre – The Rowan Team by contacting their 24 hour advice and free information line.
  Free phone: 0800 389 4424

• Support for LGBTQIA+ people

  BTRC (Belfast trans resource centre) – support for trans and gender diverse people

  Cara-Friend – support and training for the LGBTQIA+ young people

  HERE NI – support for lesbian and bisexual women in Northern Ireland

  HSC regional LGBTQ+ staff forum – LGBTQIA+ support for staff within HSC

  Mermaids NI – supporting families of transgender, non-binary and gender diverse people

  Positive Life – for people living with and affected by HIV

  The Rainbow Project – promoting the health and wellbeing for the LGBTQIA+ people

• Support for people under 25s

  Cara-Friend – support and training for the LGBTQIA+ young people.

  Common Youth – Free & Confidential Sexual Health & Wellbeing Advice
  Common Youth provides free, confidential sexual health services for young people aged 24 and under. Clinics are based in Belfast and Coleraine.

  Childline – Childline offers counselling, advice and support to children and young people. You can call, chat, email or sign to a counsellor online, or find other resources; free and confidential 24-hour helpline
  Freephone: 0800 1111

  Informing Choices NI – advice on sexual and reproductive health; pregnancy choices counselling

  The Mix – Essential support for under 25s

  Online Safety Hub – Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (safeguardingni.org) – advice and guidance about sexting, online safety and sexual relationships

• Accessing contraception, STI tests, PEP, PrEP, vaccinations
  • Where do I get contraception? – Sexual Health NI
  • How do I get an STI test? – Sexual Health NI
  • Vaccination – Sexual Health NI
  • Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV – Sexual Health NI
  • Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV – Sexual Health NI
  • Accessing abortion – information on abortion services in Northern Ireland
• Accessing sexual health clinics (GUM clinics)

  Genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics specialise in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of STIs and HIV.

  Depending on where you live, services and advice on STI testing, your sexual health may be available from:

  • hospital clinics based in your local Trust area
  • • Belfast Trust GUM
    • Northern Trust GUM
    • South Eastern Trust GUM
    • Southern Trust GUM
    • Western Trust GUM
  • online services (SH24)
  • your own GP
  • young people’s services Free & Confidential Sexual Health & Wellbeing Advice | Common Youth
• Accessing sexual reproductive health (SRH) clinics / Contraceptive clinics

  These clinics are available in every Trust area. They are also known as contraceptive clinics.

  • Belfast Trust
    Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Service – Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
  • Northern Trust
    Contraceptive Services – Northern Health and Social Care Trust
  • South Eastern Trust
    Sexual Health Service – South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust
  • Southern Trust
    Contraception Clinic –  Southern Health & Social Care Trust
  • Western Trust
    Sexual Health – Western Health & Social Care Trust