Living Well ‘Looking after your sexual health’ campaign launched

Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement
living well

A new Living Well campaign – ‘Looking after your sexual health’ – has been launched in community pharmacies across Northern Ireland, helping to raise awareness of the importance of practising good sexual health.

Living Well is offered in over 500 pharmacies across Northern Ireland and provides information and advice on public health issues. It is delivered in partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), and the Department of Health (DoH).

Dr Rachel Coyle, Consultant at the PHA, said: “Sexual health and wellbeing is important, and looking after it can have a positive impact on your general mental and physical health and help you develop positive relationships. It is also about having the knowledge and awareness that is relevant throughout different stages of your life, from adolescence onwards, and not just during the reproductive years.

“Contraception is an important part of sexual health and there are lots of different methods available. Knowing how and where to access contraception can help prevent pregnancy.

“However, it is important to remember that while there are many contraceptive options, to also help protect yourself against STIs, you need to use condoms. They are the only method of contraception that help protect against both pregnancy and STIs.”

The campaign key messages include:

  • Good sexual health means being able to make informed choices about sex and relationships.
  • Condoms help prevent STIs and unplanned pregnancy.
  • Not all STIs have symptoms.
  • If you think you may be at risk of having an STI, get tested.
  • There are lots of different types of contraception and contraception is available for free across Northern Ireland.

Peter McCavert, Community Pharmacist at Chemist Connect, said: “Community pharmacy is the front door to the health service, and this accessibility is key to raising awareness through the Living Well campaign that is encouraging patients to look after their sexual health. Community pharmacy can offer confidential advice to patients from a healthcare professional without the need to make an appointment.

“Throughout this campaign pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland will promote the importance of looking after your sexual health and, where needed, can advise and signpost patients appropriately for further support and guidance.”

Good sexual health means being able to make informed choices about sex and relationships. For further information and support visit www.sexualhealthni.info