In accordance with the Student Union’s ethos around the importance of caring for our sexual health, the website boasts an apparently wide range of related services and resources. The Welfare and Support Centre in the Support and Advice hub provides free STI tests, condoms, pregnancy tests and more. Furthermore, as part of their sexual health initiative, free contraception is also now available through the university. However, are these measures alone enough?
Most advice given by the university encourages students to reach out to NHS sexual health clinics if need be - the most local being the New Croft Centre in the city centre. But should there not be an on-campus sexual health clinic too? Considering the prevalent importance of maintaining sexual health, especially within our age group, it does seem necessary, if not essential.
There is always room for improvement, and understanding the areas within which there are weaknesses only allows for further progress to be made
The question of where and how this clinic would come about is a practical challenge, to say the least. And although it is perhaps an ambitious ask, I still feel it vital to continue highlighting and challenging the services and support our university provides to us. There is always room for improvement, and understanding the areas within which there are weaknesses only allows for further progress to be made; as well as a better, safer university experience for us all.
