It's important to pay attention to your sexual health, whether you are in a long term relationship or not.
Practising safe sex and always using a condom ensures that you reduce the risk of infection for you and your sexual partner(s) and avoid unwanted pregnancies.
Wigan Council, as part of their Public Health duties, are responsible for ensuring that sexual health services are in place for residents of the Borough. This includes the prevention, testing and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections, contraception and reproductive health provision, and sexual health promotion.
Sexual Health Service
You can make an appointment with your doctor (GP) or visit one of the Locala sexual health and contraception clinics.
Locala delivers sexual health services for women, men and young people across Wigan and Leigh. Their services include:
- All methods of contraception including emergency contraception. Young people can get free condoms by registering with the CCard Scheme (external link).
- Designated young people’s walk in on Tuesday’s at Leigh and Wednesday at Wigan 3pm - 5pm.
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) screening and tests, including Chlamydia, HIV and treatments for most STIs
- Pregnancy testing, advice on unplanned pregnancy and other sexual health issues.
- Vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B plus other vaccines for HPV and Mpox.
- Information and advice for young people on relationships.
To access these services, call 01942 949167 or visit Locala (external link). The service operates from two main clinics:
Appointments are required and can be made by contacting the clinic phone numbers, unless attending the young persons walk in clinic.
Emergency contraception
Emergency contraception (also known as the morning after pill) can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy but the earlier it is taken the more effective it is.
It is available free from:
An IUD can be used as emergency contraception if inserted within 5 days of unprotected sex - call Locala (01942 949167) or your own GP to find out more.
During Bank Holidays or when above services are closed, you can get emergency contraception from the A&E Department, Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (01942 822440).
Local and national services
Child sexual exploitation
If you have concerns a child may be being sexual exploited or at risk of sexual exploitation please report it.
Sexual Health Review
During 2023 Wigan Council carried out a review of sexual healthcare provision in the borough to ensure that sexual health services were easy to access, meet residents’ needs, and provides value for money.
As part of the review, we consulted with a range of residents and population groups in the Borough.
As part of the review, we also produced a Needs Assessment of sexual health provision with the Wigan Borough which brings together information from the different providers and commissioners to create an integrated understanding of the performance of the sexual healthcare provision in the Borough.