Nurse Service

Clare Shepherd, Anchor Nurse, with Joe Murphy, Support Worker

The Anchor Nurse and Medical Room

Every Tuesday a nurse from the Anchor health team is available for advice, practical procedures and support. She uses the medical room which was specially set up at the Jesus Centre. She also makes herself available to see visitors on alternate Sunday evenings, during the Solid Rock Cafe event.

Margot was the nurse at the Bridge since 2006. She says:

’Joe Murphy works with me, helping people get in the door and into support.
The resources are geared to the client group. You provide respect, confidentiality and patience. I can’t speak highly enough of it.

I look forward to coming. I’ve picked up on significant health needs that would otherwise have gone untreated.'

Chlamydia testing is available on request. Just turn up, it's confidential and no appointment is needed.

INFO

> Tuesday mornings in the Bridge drop-in - no appointment needed

> Advice: Diet, medication, contraception, screening procedures, health problems, minor illness, sexual health, vaccinations etc

> Practical procedures: Dressings, blood pressure recordings, blood sugar levels, urine testing, checking ears, weigh-ins etc

> Support: Additional support during anxiety, depression or seeking help with drug, alcohol or smoking habits

> Support in accessing your own doctor or getting a GP. If you are homeless, advice on how to access the Anchor Centre GP service

> Signposting: Support in accessing other services such as Foot Care, Dental Care, Womens Health & Information, Community Drug Team, Psychiatry services, housing providers, voluntary services etc

> Just come to the drop-in and talk to the nurse or her support worker.

What you may need to know about Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that you can have without any symptoms. It is very common, men and women can catch it, though young women are more at risk.

Symptoms that women can have include cystitis and mild lower abdominal pain, but these can be casued by other things too.

It can cause infertility if not treated, including fallopian tube blockage, (and ectopic pregnancy).

In men, chlamydia is the most common cause of discharge from the penis. Sometimes chlamydia can cause mild irritation at the tip of the penis (urethra) that disappears after two or three days.
Many men will wait to see if the discomfort goes away. While it may disappear, the man can still harbour the infection. It could lead to inflamed and swollen testicles and reduced fertility.

Unprotected sex and multiple partners put you at risk of catching Chlamydia.

Treatment is simple and painless, with antibiotics.

You can test yourself for it quite simply with a kit that we keep at the Jesus Centre. Margot from the Anchor team comes in on Tuesday mornings and can explain how to use the kit, or Thea, one of our volunteers who is also a nurse; she usually volunteers on a Sunday morning.

The results of the test are sent direct to you and are treated as completely confidential.

If you do have Chlamydia, it makes it quite likely that you could have other STIs. If you test positive for Chlamydia, it would be a good idea to get a full sexual health check at the genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics.

Coventry Sexual Health/GUM clinic

Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital

Stoney Stanton Road

Tel: 024 7684 4164

Coventry Jesus Centre

Compassion in Action

What you may need to know about Chlamydia