General Article If I use a sexual health service will they tell my parents?

Topic Selected: Sexual Health Book Volume: 449

Find out about confidential sexual health services, including contraception, testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and advice on unplanned pregnancy, even if you’re under 16 years old.

Sexual health services (contraception and pregnancy advice, or tests for STIs, including HIV) are free and confidential.

If you’re 13 to 16, you have the same rights to confidentiality as an adult. The doctor, nurse or pharmacist will not tell your parents, or anyone else, as long as they believe that you fully understand the information and decisions involved.

They’ll encourage you to consider telling your parents or carers, but they will not make you.

Even if the doctor, nurse or pharmacist feels that you’re not mature enough to make a decision yourself, the consultation will still be confidential. They will not tell anyone that you saw them, or anything about what you said.

The only time a professional might want to tell someone else is if they believe there is a risk to your safety or...

Would you like to see the rest of this article and all the other benefits that Issues Online can provide with?

Sign up now for a no obligation FREE TRIAL and view the entire collection