As Liverpool Universities and Colleges prepare for Fresher’s Week this September, Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust (LCH) and Merseyside Police are partnering to launch a new student safety campaign.

Activities will focus on encouraging students to protect themselves against the risks of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s), and will highlight the importance of sensible drinking, looking after their property, and staying safe whilst they’re out and about in the city.

Staff from Liverpool Community Health’s Sexual Health Service, Safe Place (Merseyside’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre) and Merseyside Police will be distributing Student Survival Packs containing lots of safety information and health advice at all of the freshers fairs. They’ll also be offering free and confidential, on-the-spot sexual health screenings to new students.

In addition, SAFE Place staff will deliver short presentations to students at different halls of residents across all of Liverpool’s universities and colleges, giving tips and advice on keeping safe, sensible drinking, healthy eating, drug use and safer sex.

Following freshers month, the Chlamydia Screening Outreach team will also be visiting student halls of residence, and a range of popular student bars, pubs and nightclubs including Monday’s at Aura, Wednesday’s at Medication and Thursday’s at Garlands to offer chlamydia screening and general sexual health advice to students and young people. Students can look out for the Love is Infectious campaign and get tested there and then.

Shelly Stoops, SAFE Place Manager for Liverpool Community Health explains,

“Every September we see a significant increase in the number of students attending our sexual health clinics with concerns about sexually transmitted infections, looking for contraceptive advice, or with concerns about the possibility of pregnancy.”

“We want new students to know how to stay safe and to enjoy their time at university, especially those who are moving away from home for the first time. We also want all students and young people across the city to know that they are not on their own. There is lots of support and advice available through our local NHS services, should they ever need it.”

Students will also be signposted to Liverpool’s new BEAT city health centre which offers a wide range of services including Abacus Sexual Health Clinic, an NHS Health Information Centre, and the Armistead Centre which provides specialist advice for LGBT individuals.

It also includes an NHS Walk-in Centre which provides consultations, advice and treatment for minor illnesses or injuries without appointment or being registered to a GP.

Entrances are located on Hanover Street and on David Lewis Street. For all general enquiries, please call: 0151 247 6500 or visit: www.liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk for more information on services and opening times.

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