Southend residents can access free sexual health services. This includes some sexual health services offered by GPs, Community Pharmacists and Brook Southend.
Brook sexual health and contraception service in Southend-on-Sea
Sexual health services in Southend-on-Sea are provided by Brook Young People.
All services are free to access.
Brook Southend is in The Victoria Shopping Centre, 362 Chartwell Square, SS2 5SP.
If you have any questions or need to book an appointment you can visit the website at Brook Southend or call the service on 01702 411701.
What does Brook Southend offer?
They offer a wide range of sexual health and contraception services. This includes:
- testing and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- a full range of contraceptive methods, including contraceptive coils and implants (also known as long-acting reversible contraception or LARC) and the contraceptive pill
- emergency contraception
- a condom distribution scheme providing free condoms from several local outlets, see: Free condoms - Brook Southend
- pregnancy testing and support with pregnancy choices, including support and signposting to abortion services
- HIV testing and referral to support services
- information and support with all aspects of sexual health and wellbeing
- sexual health promotion, community outreach, education, and training
Online services
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- residents aged 16 and over in Southend-on-Sea can access testing and treatment for STIs online from SH:24 (if you are under 16 you will need to contact the clinic)
- this includes testing for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis as well as diagnosis and treatment of genital warts and herpes
Contraception services
- contraception refers to the methods that are used to prevent pregnancy
- contraception is free on the NHS and from Brook Southend for all ages
- Some contraception can also be accessed online via SH 24, including emergency hormonal contraception, oral contraceptive pill, contraceptive ring, contraceptive patch and self-injectable contraceptive
All online services can be accessed via the Brook Southend website
Clinic Services
All sexual health and contraception services can be accessed via the Brook Sexual Health Clinic. This can be via booked appointment, walk-in, or same day appointments, depending on availability.
All-age walk-ins
All-age walk-ins are held every other Wednesday 1pm to 4pm. These are offered on a first come first serve basis, so it is important to arrive promptly to be seen. There may be a wait, but there is a designated waiting area on site.
Under 25 walk-ins
From 6 June 2026, if you are under 25, you do not need and appointment to attend the clinic on Saturdays between 1 and 2:30pm.
The clinic is unable to do implant or coil fittings during walk-in hours. For these you will need an appointment.
Opening Hours
- Monday: 9am to 5pm
- Tuesday: 10am to 6pm
- Wednesday: 9am to 5pm
- Thursday: 10am to 6pm
- Friday: 9am to 5pm
- Saturday: 10am to 3pm
- Sunday: closed
To book an appointment you will need to phone the clinic during opening hours. There are a limited number of same-day appointments. If you need an appointment that day, you will need to call or visit the clinic as early as possible
How to contact Brook Southend
- telephone: 01702 411701
- website: https://www.sexualhealthsouthend.co.uk.
- email: infosouthend@brook.org.uk
Where possible, please use the available online services for STI testing and contraception. More information about these services can be found on their website.
Primary care: GP and Community Pharmacy Sexual Health Services
Several GP surgeries and Community Pharmacists provide some sexual health services, these include:
- contraception advice and provision including contraceptive coils and implants and the contraceptive pill
- emergency contraception
Speak with your GP or local community pharmacist to see what services they provide.
General Practice
General practices in the city provide sexual health services including access to contraception and some testing for sexually transmitted infections. Please contact your GP to find out more about the services they offer.
Additional Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Services, funded by the Council, are currently being delivered by some GPs in Southend. If you are a resident registered with one of the GP practices listed below, then you may be eligible to receive this service.
Participating General Practices
- Queensway Surgery
- North Shoebury Surgery
- North Avenue Surgery
- The Thorpe Bay Surgery
- The Pall Mall Surgery
Community pharmacy sexual health services
Some pharmacies in the city are providing sexual health services. This enables them to supply free:
- emergency contraception
- oral contraception (the pill)
- condoms
Emergency contraception
You may be able to prevent pregnancy by using emergency contraception if you:
- have had unprotected sex or your contraceptive method failed (i.e. you missed a pill, or a condom split)
- seek help within the first 5 days of intercourse
Since October 2025, emergency contraception is free to access from many pharmacies across Southend.
You can:
- self-refer to a participating pharmacy
- be signposted to one by your GP practice or Brook Southend sexual health and contraception service
The pharmacist:
- Will conduct a confidential consultation.
- Will issue emergency contraception, if clinically appropriate.
- Offer to discuss alternative contraceptive methods and testing for sexually transmitted infections.
Emergency contraception is most effective if you take it as early as possible. To find out whether your local pharmacy offers emergency contraception, or the oral contraceptive pill, please visit - Find a pharmacy - NHS – select the pharmacy closest to you, and view the services section.
C-Card
The C-Card is free for anyone aged over 13 and living in Southend. This gives you access to free:
- condoms
- internal condoms (femidoms)
- lubricant
The pharmacist will complete an assessment with you. This is to register you to use the condom distribution service.
Participating Community Pharmacists are listed at: C-CARD distribution outlets - Brook Southend