With STIs on the rise, Canberra’s Sexual Health Centre is making testing more accessible. Photo: File.
Canberrans can now get checked for a sexually transmitted infection (STI) via a new telehealth service that opens up new locations for testing.
Anyone who has visited Canberra Hospital’s Sexual Health Centre in Woden in the past 12 months and is symptom-free is now able to organise testing over the phone.
Clinical Nurse Consultant Justine Shuck said the new system was easy to use.
“This is a new option for [locals], which will make it easier and more accessible for them to get tested at a location that’s convenient for them.”
Accessibility to sexual health services has been an issue in recent years and at the same time the nation has seen an increase in STIs. Experts have warned that a lack of access, stigma, and education are fuelling the growth in cases.
Convenience is a problem the Sexual Health Centre has seen for years. A round trip from Gunghalin can take close to an hour. Ms Shuck said that for many people, their location wasn’t ideal.
“The rationale was to try and make our service more [accessible]. We are aware that Canberra is expanding and we’re located down at Woden. We want to make it easier and more accessible for our clients to get their testing done.”
Australia has seen a rise in STIs in recent years. Pictured is clinical nurse consultant Justine Shuck. Photo: Supplied.
Now, after an initial visit to the free clinic, patients can phone instead of visting the centre. The process has been designed to be quick and painless.
“For the tele-check process, they will call our clinic on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, during our opening times, and they press the line for telehealth … [we] do a quick five-minute consult with them over the phone and order their tests,” Ms Shuck said.
“And then that person has two weeks to go to any ACT pathology collection centre in Canberra, and they can do their tests there at a time that’s convenient for them at a location that’s convenient for them.”
Ms Shuck said they were seeing overwhelming support for the new system.
“We surveyed a portion of our consumers that would be eligible for tele-check, and 85 per cent of them supported the proposed model and thought there would be good improvements in appointment, flexibility and transport and more local testing for them.”
Sexual health experts advise regular check-ups are important for those sexually active. Ms Shuck said an increase in infections across Australia contributed to the push to make their service more accessible.
“We have been seeing over the last few years an increase in the rate of gonorrhoea, and we’ve also seen nationally an increase in the rate in syphilis, so we are kind of trying to make STI testing easier and more accessible for people, so we can be identifying these infections and getting people treated quickly, so they don’t get any long-term health impacts.”
Talking about sexual health can be a difficult conversation for some, but Ms Shuck said this was something the nurses at the clinic were accustomed to.
“It’s really important if you’re having some casual partners to get checkups regularly. Our nurses here are really kind and lovely, and they will make you feel really comfortable to talk about these awkward topics. It’s something we do all day every day, and we’re very professional about it.”
