Trust staff to appear in television documentary on sexual health
A BBC documentary to be screened this autumn will give an eye-opening insight into what sexual health staff in Exeter deal with on a daily basis.
Staff from the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust are appearing in the second series of Unsafe Sex in the City, which starts tonight (Wednesday 2 October) at 9pm.
The fly-on-the-wall documentary follows doctors, nurses and other staff from the GU medicine and sexual health clinic in Sidwell Street and focuses on how they are tackling sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people.
The programme, on BBC Three, also looks at the impact positive STI results can have on young people’s health, reputation and love life.
Filming took place during the summer, mainly in the clinic but also highlighting some of the outreach work the staff do to raise awareness in the community.
The first episode features Kev, who has been told he might have been given chlamydia by an ex-partner, Tilly, who is worried about a potential unplanned pregnancy, and Chantelle, who can’t see why the risk of STIs should stop her experimenting sexually.
The programme also shows Trust staff giving an interview on Exeter radio station Phonic FM, providing advice about STIs and the importance of being checked.
The Trust features in all six episodes of the series, which air at 9pm on Wednesdays, alongside staff and young people at a clinic in Leeds.
Dr Sophia Davies, consultant in sexual health and HIV medicine for the Trust, was one of the staff to be filmed.
She said: “We were delighted to be asked to take part in the documentary as it gives us a great opportunity to raise awareness of sexual health, promote our clinics and show young people across Devon the friendly, approachable service they can expect if they visit us.
“The series is likely to give a very real reflection of the issues we deal with on a daily basis, as well as of young people’s attitudes to relationships, sex and sexual health.
“We see a growing number of young people seeking information and advice on STIs, contraception and other sexual health issues.
“If anyone has any concerns about their sexual health or contraception, they can drop into Sidwell Street or any of our clinics in Devon for free and confidential advice.”
The Trust also runs GU medicine and sexual health clinics in Exmouth, Tiverton, South Molton, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Bideford, as well as contraception clinics in Okehampton, Holsworthy and Torrington.
For more information, visit www.northdevonhealth.nhs.uk/sexualhealth
