Sexual health

Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), or the morning after pill, is taken to prevent pregnancy if you’ve had unprotected sex, you’ve missed a pill or your condom has split during intercourse.

Emergency contraception works best if it is used within 24 hours, but it can still be used 2 to 5 days later depending on the brand you take. It doesn’t work as well as other forms of contraception, so it should only be used in an emergency, not as a regular way to prevent pregnancy.

Your local Well pharmacy can supply the morning after pill to women over the age of 16 in a convenient and private environment.

The pharmacist will need to ask you about your health and your periods in our consultation room to check that emergency contraception is suitable.

We know that this can sound daunting but our pharmacists are health professionals so will not judge you. They are there to make sure that the treatment you get is safe and effective for you.

We can also direct you to any other local NHS services that might be helpful if needs be.

Chlamydia is caused by a tiny bacteria that’s found in semen and vaginal fluid. It can be spread through sexual contact, but if left untreated it can spread to other parts of your body and cause some serious long-term problems in both men and women.

People who have chlamydia will often not notice any symptoms so it’s wise to get tested regularly if are under 25 years and are sexually active, or if you are any age and have unprotected sex with a new partner.

Chlamydia tests are carried out by either testing a urine sample, or testing cells collected by a swab (like a cotton bud). Often you can collect the sample yourself.

Some Well stores are able to provide chlamydia screening tests.

The majority of our pharmacies have a private consultation room where one of our pharmacists can offer sexual health advice in a confidential and discreet environment.

Your pharmacist can also put you in touch with organisations who can give you more support and information, including the NHS .