Sex Therapy Wellington

Wellington Sexual Health Service Overview

The Wellington Sexual Health Service is a public sexual health service operating Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is contracted through Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley District (CCDHB) to deliver specialist sexual health services to priority populations across the Greater Wellington region, including Hutt Valley, Kapiti Coast, and Wairarapa.

Services are confidential, appointment-based, and free of charge for people who meet eligibility criteria and Ministry of Health requirements for publicly funded healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Eligibility for Wellington Sexual Health Services

The service prioritises individuals and communities at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or with complex sexual health needs. Eligibility includes people who:

• Hold a Community Services Card
• Identify as Māori or Pacific
• Are men who have sex with men
• Are gender diverse or intersex
• Are women who have sex with women
• Are sex workers
• Are pregnant and diagnosed with gonorrhoea or syphilis
• Have been diagnosed with syphilis or HIV
• Are sexual contacts of someone diagnosed with syphilis, HIV, or Mycoplasma
• Inject drugs or participate in CHEMSEX
• Have experienced recent or past sexual harm and wish to speak with a sexual health nurse
• Are referred from primary or secondary care
• Have been diagnosed with an STI through online testing and do not have a GP who can arrange treatment

People must also meet Ministry of Health eligibility guidelines for publicly funded services in New Zealand.

Youth Sexual Health Services

People under the age of 25 who do not meet the above eligibility criteria are directed to dedicated youth health services. These include:

• Evolve (Wellington)
• Vibe (Hutt Valley)
• KYS – Kapiti Youth Services
• The 502 Porirua Youth Support

If enrolments at these services are full, young people are advised to contact the Wellington Sexual Health Service for further guidance.

Services Not Provided

The Wellington Sexual Health Service does not offer contraception services, cervical smears, sex therapy, or treatment for erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.

For contraception, routine sexual health care, and smear tests, people are advised to contact their GP or Sexual Well-being Aotearoa. For counselling or therapy needs, referrals may be made through Tu Ora Compass Health mental health services, subject to eligibility.

Clinical Services Available

For eligible patients, the Wellington Sexual Health Service (Kent Terrace Clinic) provides:

• Sexual health nurse appointments for testing and treatment of uncomplicated STIs
• Specialist sexual health physician consultations, available by GP referral
• Asymptomatic self-testing for eligible patients without symptoms
• A triage nurse phone line for advice and symptom assessment
• Access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention)

All services are confidential and provided at no cost to eligible patients.

Asymptomatic Self-Testing

Asymptomatic self-testing is available for eligible patients who have no symptoms and are not known contacts of an STI. Patients are guided to collect their own swabs for gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing, with blood tests for HIV and syphilis taken where required.

This service is not available to people aged 25 and under. Patients who prefer a full examination or are uncomfortable with self-testing are advised to see their GP or Sexual Well-being Aotearoa.

Specialist Referrals and Ongoing Care

Referrals to see a Sexual Health Specialist Physician require a referral letter from a healthcare clinician. Many sexual health concerns can be managed by a GP in consultation with specialists, and an in-clinic appointment may not always be necessary.

The Wellington Sexual Health Service functions as part of a wider sexual health system, supporting priority populations while working alongside primary care and community-based providers.