HIV

The Wharfside clinic at St Mary's Hospital is one of the largest HIV clinics in the UK. We offer those living with HIV a full range of general and specialist HIV services, including support services.

To maintain social distancing, we will be running emergency services only. As we continue to move out of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have removed many of our remaining Covid-19 measures in line with national NHS guidance. Please check our latest measures before coming to hospital.  

If you have a problem related to medication or supply please call 020 3312 5253 during working hours.

Monkeypox - Update and advice (20 May 2022)

Recent reports show that there have been a number of confirmed Monkeypox infections in the UK. While the current risk is low, we are asking patients some additional questions when booking an appointment and on arrival at the department.  This will ensure we keep our patients and staff safe.

Please do not attend the service if:

• You are a man or transwoman who has sex with men and has had these symptoms in the last 3 weeks: an intense headache, muscle aches, a new rash on any part of your body, a fever, or any new lumps in your neck, groin or under your arms  (swollen lymph nodes)
• You’ve been in close contact with someone who has Monkeypox in the last 3 weeks
• You’ve returned from West or Central Africa in the last 3 weeks and have any of the symptoms above

Monkeypox does not spread easily between people. Person-to-person spread may occur through:

• Direct contact with the skin lesions or scabs.
• Contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) that have been used by an infected person.
• Breathing in droplets from the coughing or sneezing of someone who has a monkeypox rash.

COVID Vaccination

The Covid-19 vaccine is recommended for people living with HIV (PLHIV). More information is available on the British HIV Association website.
 
PLHIV HIV have been prioritised to have the Covid vaccination – but only if their GP is aware of your status.
 
If you do not feel comfortable disclosing to your GP, then you can have the vaccine at St Marys Hospital, organised by The Wharfside Clinic.

Call our Emergency line 020 3312 5253 for a referral.

HIV testing at the Jefferiss Wing

Our Jefferiss Wing sexual health clinics offer testing, treatment and advice for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV testing. 

• Our sexual health services are still here for you, but we have had to change the way we do things because of coronavirus.   
• To ensure social distancing, we are unable to operate a walk-in clinic. Access to our clinics is via a telephone assessment first. We are able to sort out many issues by phone consultation, but if you need to come in we can arrange an appointment. 
• To access services call our sexual health appointment triage line on 020 3312 1225 between the following hours:  
  
  • Monday through Friday 09.00 - 16.30 (closed on Bank Holidays) 
  • Our triage team will take your details and you will be given a time slot for a telephone consultation on the same / following day to speak with a doctor or nurse, or be given advice on other services better suited to your need.  
  • Following your telephone consultation, we may advise that you: 
    
    • attend the clinic to see us or to collect medication 
    • receive postal medication 
    • order an STI testing kit or get your contraception online from Sexual Health London or from another online providers 

Wharfside Clinic services during the Covid-19 pandemic 

Routine clinic appointments by video link (or phone):

• Appointments will be over video link using NHS Attend Anywhere or by phone:
  • Please read the Attend Anywhere leaflet beforehand
• If you cannot use the video service, don’t worry we will call on the number we have for you
• You should not come to hospital unless we have asked you to
• During the pandemic you may be seen by someone other than your usual doctor or nurse
  • You can still contact your doctor through the secretaries or Care Information Exchange (also known as Patient Knows Best) 

Click the Wharfside video link

This link will only work on certain browsers. Please read how to use the video link here NHS Attend Anywhere leaflet.

Blood tests 

Do not come to clinic for tests before your appointment.

We will only do blood tests once a year for anyone that it is safe to do so. This is to reduce the number of people visiting the clinic and help keep you safe. If there is a particular need to do a blood test, we will give you an appointment for this.

Medication

If you’re able to please collect your medication from our pharmacy after your appointment. If this is difficult for you we can send medication by post.

Care Information Exchange (also known as Patient Knows Best) 

This service allows you to see all your appointments, clinic letters and tests results online through a secure NHS system. You can also use it to contact your doctor or nurse confidentially. Follow this link to find out more: Care Information Exchange

Wharfside clinic appointment times

Wharfside clinic is open Monday to Friday at the following times, with the exception of bank holidays. 

At the moment you should only come to clinic if you have an appointment

Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.00 to 17.00
Wednesday 13.00 to 17.00

Find us

Wharfside clinic
Jefferiss Wing
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Contact

General enquiries
020 3312 1225 option 3 / imperial.wharfside.appointment@nhs.net

Emergency Clinic and urgent medication
0203 312 5253

Additional information

Many of our consultants are renowned experts in their field:

The clinic is closely linked with the Imperial College London Clinical Trials Centre for Sexual Health and provides opportunities for patients to participate in research into HIV treatments, complications and cure.

Education and elective placements

We offer elective placements for medical students interested in sexual health and HIV. For further information please contact:

Professor Graham Taylor, clinical lead
Email: g.p.taylor@imperial.ac.uk 

Further online resources

• NAM leaflets and resources on HIV