The Health Shop

 

What we do

The Health Shop has been operating in Nottingham City for more than 30 years. We are a small team that specialises in harm reduction and health promotion, and we offer advice and support around substance use and sexual health. We work specifically with people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness, people within the LGBTQ+ community and refugees and people seeking asylum. We are passionate about harm reduction.

Sexual health

• We offer full sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings, including blood borne virus (BBV) testing for people without symptoms. People with symptoms need to contact the Integrated Sexual Health Service on 0115 9627627. 
• We work specifically with people who might not access mainstream sexual health services or who are disproportionally affected by sexually transmitted infections.
• We can offer appointments for Hep B vaccinations for people who use drugs, men who have sex with men, and people working in the sex industry. Please note we are not able to vaccinate people for professional reasons.
• We offer a range of FREE condoms, lube and gloves.
• We are a C-Card registration and pick-up point.
• To arrange a test or for more information please contact 07585 991542 or email healthshop@nottshc.nhs.uk

 

Harm reduction

• We can offer advice on harm reduction within drug use, including safer injecting advice.
• We can provide Naloxone.
• We are conducting outreach to engage with communities who may be isolated from accessing mainstream services. This includes people who are experiencing homelessness, those engaging in sex work and the MSM community. 
• We can provide information and support to people using steroids.
• We are working in partnership with the Hepatology department to reduce Hep C. This involves offering BBV testing and fibro scans and supporting people into treatment.

 

Project Margaret

Project Margaret is a service for women who experience severe and multiple disadvantage. The aim of the project is to provide women with a choice of long-acting reversible contraception in a safe and supportive environment. Women can have the Depo-Provera injection by one of the nurses from The Health Shop. This can be carried out in a choice of location (main services, hostel, day centre or on outreach via our clinically fitted Health Bus). If this option is not suitable/preferred, then women are supported to attend a specialist clinic through our partners at Nottingham University Hospital, Integrated Sexual Health service. This clinic is set up just for our women, is trauma informed and transport to/from the clinic is arranged if needed.

The Depo-Provera injection can be provided as a main choice of contraception or as a bridging method until the preferred choice can be arranged.

In addition to this, the nurse leading this project is developing work with a number of GPs in the city to allow women with severe and multiple disadvantage to access a choice of long-acting reversible contraception in their practice, even if they are not registered with them.

Project Margaret is about choice, it’s about a women’s right to choose when/if she gets pregnant, it’s about the type of contraception she wants, provided in an environment with people who understand the challenges women who experience severe and multiple disadvantage face.

For more information on the project please contact beth.maloney2@nottshc.nhs.uk

To make a referral please contact healthshop@nottshc.nhs.uk or phone 0115 905 5001.