Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Service

About the service
Clinic locations
SH:24
Emergency contraception
Progestogen only pill
Long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)
Sayana Press
Young people
Interpreting services
Postnatal contraception
Unplanned pregnancy
Abortion care
Useful websites

About the service

Please note we no longer have walk-in clinics.

We offer contraception and abortion care for Belfast Trust area.

For information on contraception services in other Trusts and detailed information on contraception & sexual health please visit Contraception – Sexual Health NI

Telemedicine clinics (028 9504 5500)

Monday to Thursday from 9am to 11:30am and 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Friday from 9am to 11.30am

These sessions may occasionally be unavailable or reduced due to staffing levels/training.

The easiest way to contact us is by completing a self-referral form online: please click here to fill out the form.

If you wish to use this instead of phoning please complete the form above and a member of the team will get back to you within 5 working days.

NB If you need urgent advice or emergency contraception then please ring or see section below on emergency contraception.

Contraception is also available from your GP, pharmacist, online from SH:24 & Common Youth if under 25.

After an initial telephone consultation, you will be invited to a face-to-face appointment if necessary. Our current waiting time for a coil or implant is less than 6 weeks.

All our services are free and confidential. We do not share information with your GP without your consent.

If you are looking for information or a test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), please visit our GUM clinic page.

Clinic locations

Face-to-face appointments for procedures and treatment will be at the following locations:

College Street Clinic
Arches Wellbeing and Treatment Centre
Beech Hall Wellbeing and Treatment Centre
Carlisle Wellbeing and Treatment Centre

SH:24 Online Contraception

Free oral contraception, contraceptive pills and repeat supplies of Sayana Press self-injectable are available online via SH:24 to anyone over the age of 16. Home testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be ordered at the same time.

This service has been very popular since its initial pilot in February 2022, with excellent user feedback.SH:24 are experts in sexual and reproductive health and work in partnership with the NHS to provide contraception and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.

You can order pills here SH:24 online order page

Emergency contraception

Please note: Oral emergency contraception is more effective the sooner you take it after unprotected sex. A copper intrauterine device (IUD) is the most effective method of emergency contraception and is available in our clinics.

You can contact our service on 028 9504 5500(see above)

Emergency contraception (‘morning after pill’) is now available FREE from participating pharmacies in NI. Find your nearest pharmacy here. This is an excellent option at weekends.

There are 2 different types of oral emergency contraception If using this scheme or buying emergency pills please let the pharmacist know if you are or have recently been on a hormonal method of contraception as this influences which pill is most appropriate for you.

You can also get emergency contraception from your GP.

Progestogen only pill

In addition to obtaining free from our clinic, GP or SH:24, the desogestrel progestogen only pill (Cerazette/Cerelle/Zelleta) is now available without prescription to buy in pharmacies and online under the names Hana or Lovima.

A consultation with a pharmacist is required.

Weight Loss Injections

Weight loss injections may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills and are recommended to be stopped prior to conceiving. Please tell your health care provider/pharmacist if you are using weight loss injections. Please see further information here: Patient-information-GLP-1-agonists-and-contraception.pdf

Long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)

These are the most effective method and include the:

copper coil
hormonal coil (IUS)
implant
injectables

Please ring for an initial telephone consultation. You will then be added to the waiting list and contacted within a few weeks. Alternative contraception e.g. pills can be offered while waiting for a procedure.

Mirena IUS is now licensed for contraception for 8 years in the UK. There is no need to have it changed before this, however if you have any concerns please contact us.

Kyleena IUS can be used for 5 years and Nexplanon implant for 3 years.

Sayana Press

We are delighted to offer Sayana Press – an injectable method you can be taught to administer yourself, reducing the need for clinic visits and with a smaller needle than Depo-Provera. You are provided with a year’s supply. If interested please see further information on link above and the video demonstrating the injection technique.

If you are already on this method you can now also order repeat supplies from SH:24.

Young people

We are happy to see young people, but if you are aged 25 or under, you can also get contraception and sexual health advice from Common Youth: 028 9032 8866.

Interpreting services

We can offer telephone or face-to-face consultations for those who cannot speak English. These consultations are with an interpreter or through The Big Word telephone translation service.

Postnatal contraception

Contraception is required if you are sexually active three weeks after delivery.

Maternity staff may refer you to us or you can self-refer: please click here to fill out the form.

If you had a coil fitted at delivery and want a check or are having issues please contact us. It is common for threads to be long after coil insertion at delivery and there is a higher chance of the coil coming out or slipping down (expulsion). If concerned, do not have unprotected sex until it is checked.

Progestogen only methods – progestogen only pill, injection or implant – can be started anytime.

Intrauterine methods – copper coil, Mirena or Kyleena – can be inserted after four weeks if not offered at the time of delivery.

NHS Fife have useful information on postnatal contraception options. Visit their site here.

Planning a Pregnancy

You can improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy by following the steps by clicking this page.

Unplanned pregnancy

Informing Choices NI offers pregnancy choices counselling and advice.

Common Youth also offer counselling to those under the age of 25.

Abortion care

Abortion is legal in Northern Ireland and available in all Trusts.

We offer early medical abortion and surgical abortion under local anaesthetic (up to 11 weeks and six days of pregnancy) through the Rose Clinic.

If you are over 12 weeks we can also offer a consultation to discuss your options.

To find out more, please click here.

Referral is by completing an online self referral form via BPAS here.

Heavy and/or Painful Periods

Did you know that many hormonal contraceptives have other non-contraceptive benefits eg lighter, less painful or no periods?

Some may reduce the risk of gynaecological conditions eg endometriosis, ovarian cysts, PMS or cancer of the womb or ovaries.

We are happy to discuss this and can offer pills or the hormone-releasing IUD(Mirena or Kyleena) if you do not need contraception.

Please note if you are having frequent bleeding, bleeding after sex or in between your periods or bleeding after the menopause please see GP for referral to gynaecology.

Menopause-Mirena & HRT

For menopause information please visit our Menopause Service page or visit https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/.

In the Sexual & Reproductive Health clinics, we can insert/replace/remove Mirena for HRT.

The Mirena or levonorgestrel IUD can be used as the progestogen part of HRT to protect the lining of the womb for up to 5 years and can provide contraception, reduce bleeding and minimise progestogenic side effects.

You must be 55 or under to have this inserted with us and not be experiencing abnormal bleeding unless it has been investigated. Your GP or local gynae GPECS clinic can also provide this and other menopause advice.

Contraception is still required until 1 year after your last period if over 50 or for 2 years after if periods stop below the age of 50. Any hormonal method of contraception can be used with HRT except the combined pill.