Pearl Service

Sexual health screening and advice for people with learning disabilities

The Pearl Service is a dedicated, easy access service for people with learning disabilities, offering screening for sexually transmitted infections and offering advice and information around safer sex. Free condoms are available as well as contraceptive services.

It is based at West London Centre for Sexual Health which is located at Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, SW6.

People with learning disabilities can refer themselves or can be referred by GPs, family members, carers, case workers or social workers with the client’s consent.

Appointments can be booked by contacting the Health Advisers on 020 8846 1579 and asking for an appointment to the Pearl Service.

Ceri Evans, Senior Sexual Health Adviser at West London Centre for Sexual Health, led the development of the service with colleagues from the Learning Disability Team at NHS Hammersmith and Fulham and also people with learning disabilities who helped choose the name Pearl.

Ceri said: “Service users chose the name, helped develop our patient information about the service and they are vital in spreading the word about our service.

“A practical benefit of involving people with learning disabilities in the project is that lots of service users visited the West London Centre for Sexual Health which meant that they knew where we were and how to access the service.”