Please read the following information carefully before contacting the Sexual Health Helpline.
Please note: if you would like confidential unintended pregnancy support, including abortion options, please contact the 1800 4 Choice (1800 424 642) helpline.
Confidentiality
When you email the Sexual Health Helpline the contents of your email are not seen by anyone other than a SHQ Advanced Practice Nurse, or occasionally another SHQ staff member such as a doctor. Staff are not allowed to disclose any information contained in emails to anyone outside of the organisation, nor are they allowed to forward the information onto another outside account.
Information keeping
Our email system allows staff to check whether you have emailed us previously, or if someone has emailed before with a similar query. This helps staff to refer back to previous emails if necessary to ensure the best possible answer to your query. For space purposes, after a certain period of time old emails may be printed and stored in paper format in a secure area not accessible to the public. In this instance emails are removed from the electronic system.
Security
While SHQ endeavours to keep all electronic information safe and secure, and has systems in place to achieve this, such information is never 100% secure or private due to viruses and the ability of some people to break into electronic systems (hackers). These problems are beyond SHQ’s control.
Email content
Before sending your email, make sure you have given enough information to have your query answered adequately. It often helps to specify your age and sex. If you have a problem, please describe, as best you can, the surrounding circumstances. This allows the nurse answering your query to better understand your situation.
Response times
Emails to the Sexual Health Helpline are answered during business hours on weekdays. Queries are answered as soon as possible and usually within 24 hours (excluding weekends).
Alternatively, you can also contact the Helpline by phone.
Disclaimer
Information provided by the Sexual Health Helpline is not a substitute for obtaining medical advice in person from a health professional. It is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. SHQ does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information and recommends that the recipient contact SHQ or their medical practitioner directly for further, more specific, information.