Our new online portal is a simple and easy way to book and alter appointments with sexual health clinics and professionals, order and track STI self-testing kits and manage your personal information – all in one location at any time of the day.
So, let’s have a look at the features of the new portal and how to use it.
What is an online portal?
Our new online portal is called the Personal Health Record and it can be accessed by registering online at: https://essexsexualhealthservice.org.uk/online-portal/
The portal provides you with access to elements of your electronic patient record and gives you the ability to use online health services remotely and book appointments with ease.
You will be asked to register using an email address, which will then be verified within 24 hours. All information held by the system is completely confidential and will not be linked to any other health records or shared with anyone else in the NHS.
What are the benefits of using our online portal?
The portal allows you to book and alter appointments, order and track STI self-testing kits and manage your personal information, all in one location.
You can book appointments with sexual health clinics and professionals, but also make changes to and cancel the appointment at any time of the day.
Through your personal profile, you will be able to request self-testing kits for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and HIV. The portal allows you to track your order, confidentially review your test results online and reorder test kits whenever needed.
If you are aged over 25 and living in Suffolk you can also use the online portal to request free condoms. These can either be discretely sent by mail or collected from a number of local clinics.
But if you are aged 16 to 24 you can also access free condoms through the eC-Card app which is available from Google Play or the Apple App Store – which can be downloaded here: https://ec-card.org.uk/.
How do use our new online portal?
- Registering for the portal: You can register on the portal yourself or you may be invited by email to register by sexual health services. Registration is quick and easy; all you need is a private email account that is only accessible to you and your mobile phone so we can send you a code during the registration process
- Adding your details: The ‘My Details’ section of the portal gives you the ability to provide up to date details including your address, GP, any special communication needs and additional details such as disabilities, ethnicity and sexual orientation
- Booking and changing appointments: The online portal gives you the ability to view, book, cancel and rearrange appointments with sexual health clinics and professionals. When booking an appointment, you will be asked a number of questions. It is important to answer these accurately so we can find the best appointment to meet your needs
- Ordering STI test kits: Via the portal, you can order STI self-testing kits, that will be sent through the post to test for most sexually transmitted infections. You can have this kit sent to your home or an alternative address
- Viewing your results: You will be notified by text message when the results of your postal test kit are available. You will be able to view the results of these tests online in the online portal
- Requesting free condoms: People living in Essex (excluding Southend) aged 25 and over can request condoms using the online portal. Condoms can be sent by post or you can choose to pick them up from one of our clinics.
Need it, Click it, Get it, with our new portal!
If you need it, you can click it and get it with ease – using our new online portal.
It is your all-in-one portal for booking and altering appointments with sexual health clinics and professionals, ordering and tracking STI self-testing kits and managing your personal information.
More information about SSHS, the new Personal Health Record online system and the eC-Card app can be found at: www.sshs.org.uk
