Guidance

Sexual health and HIV: privacy information

Updated 26 February 2024

Applies to England

Sexual health and HIV privacy information

The information collected by this clinic

Whenever you attend a sexual health or HIV clinic, your health practitioner will record information about your sexual history, sexual health concerns and any treatments you receive.

This is standard medical practice that allows the health practitioner to give you the best individual care at that time and for any future visits.

To find out more about how this clinic protects your medical records, ask your health practitioner or at reception.

The information collected by UKHSA

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for protecting the nation from infectious diseases and other threats to public health.

UKHSA’s responsibilities include collecting information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from all sexual health and HIV clinics and laboratories.

UKHSA collects information from this clinic.

The information collected is in a de-personalised form, which means it does not include any information that could be used to identify you. For example, your name and contact details are not shared with UKHSA.

This is to protect your confidentiality.

The information about STIs and HIV that UKHSA collects from this clinic is used to help improve the nation’s sexual health and wellbeing, to understand more about people’s access to sexual health and HIV services, and to monitor any outbreaks of STIs and HIV.

You can find out more about UKHSA’s sexual health information collections on GOV.UK.