Psychology service
About the HIV and Sexual Health Psychology Service
Our mission is to empower anyone experiencing difficulties with their sexual health to live a meaningful life, in line with their values. We collaborate with our sexual health colleagues, clients, and related services to provide an inclusive, psychologically informed service. This service is provided by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
Please note: The HIV and Sexual Health Psychology Service is not a crisis service. At a time of crisis please do one of the following:
- contact your GP
- go to your nearests A&E
- call 999
- call the CNWL Single Point of Access (SPA) team on 0800 0234 650
- can the Samaritans on 116123 (free number)
About our team
Our team consists of an administrator, clinical and counselling psychologists, assistant psychologists, and trainees who are dedicated to empower anyone experiencing difficulties with their sexual health.
What can we can help with?
Our service aims to help you:
- If you are experiencing difficulties adjusting to a sexual health diagnosis (eg HIV, HSV, HPV or other STI)
- Understanding and managing your feelings from the difficulties related to your sexual health
- With issues related to starting or taking medication
- Concern and anxiety about your sexual health
- Practicing safer sex
What type of therapy do we offer?
Our service offers a range of individual and group psychological therapies with specialist knowledge of working in different ways with clients. The appropriate mode of therapy will be collaboratively discussed at the assessment stage.
Are meetings confidential?
Maintaining your confidentiality is very important to us. All our assessments begin with a discussion about confidentiality. It is your decision about the information you disclose to us.
In line with NHS guidelines, we sometimes need to share limited information with other professionals involved in your care. Before disclosing information to others, we would always try to discuss with you the details of the information we are sharing and the reasons for needing to do this.
How do I get referred?
For patients
If you would like a referral to our service, please request this from a clinician at one of our sexual health services listed below. Any of the clinical staff (doctors, nurses and health advisers) can arrange a referral for you. Read our patient leaflet for more information.
Our sexual health services are:
- 56 Dean Street
- 10 Hammersmith Broadway
- Kobler Clinic
- John Hunter Clinic
- Sexual Health Hounslow
For clinicians
Please see the referral pathway and complete our referral form. The referral form will only be accepted if completed by clinicians and sent to our email.
What can I expect?
What happens after you’ve been referred?
After we receive your referral, if the referral is appropriate for our service we will send you an opt-in SMS message (subject to consent) inviting you to get in touch to arrange an initial assessment.
What is an initial assessment?
The initial assessment aims to understand your difficulties and decide whether our service is appropriate for your needs. We will ask you about your goals for therapy and how you would like things to be different.
The assessment takes about an hour and by the end we should have a shared plan of what might be helpful.
What happens after assessment?
Following your assessment, if it is decided that our service is able to offer you support then you will be placed on our waiting list. You will be offered short to medium term therapy to work towards the goals that were identified in your initial assessment. The wait time to start therapy varies, but is usually not more than six months. In some cases, we may decide our service is not the most appropriate support and may refer or signpost you to another service who can help.
In the meantime, we can provide you with additional support and resources that you may find useful.
How to attend therapy sessions
You can attend sessions face to face, via video call or telephone. Sessions are usually on a weekly or fortnightly basis, during the hours of 9am to 5pm (We have limited availability for earlier or later appointment requests).
Resources
The CNWL website has additional resources:
What our service users say
- "I was able to be more open and honest about my sexual experiences and how they may affect my mental health, without fear of judgement and shame."
- "Having access to therapy which specifically addressed my anxieties revolved around HIV was vital in improving my mental wellbeing."
- "I felt I could be more open and honest and that my concerns would be appreciated and understood better."
Contact information
HIV and Sexual Health Psychology Service
South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre
1 Nightingale Place
London
SW10 9NG
Hours: Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm