TALKING about sexual health may once have been taboo, but thankfully times have changed, because looking after your sexual health is so important, no matter what your age, sex or sexuality.

Our Sexual Health Wirral service offers a full range of contraception, testing and treatment for sexual transmitted diseases, smear tests, pregnancy tests and more.

Last year we had nearly 30,000 attendances.

We are always looking at ways to make sure we keep up with what patients want, and regularly ask "what else could we be doing?"

With sexually transmitted diseases on the increase, many of our patients were requesting postal screening kits for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea.

However, we were originally only able to provide them for 16 to 24-year-olds, as the most at risk age group.

But when more and more older people started asking for them, we changed that, and from beginning of this month, anybody can order one.

The postal kits are great.

If you've taken a risk and simply want to get checked out, you can request a kit from the Sexual Health Wirral website.

It is sent in discreet packaging and is simple to use, with instruc- tions and all equipment provided.

People who may struggle to get to a clinic due to work, childcare com- mitments or just because they may feel apprehensive or embarrassed, can now test at home in private.

Simply send your sample back and we text you the results within seven days.

We treated more than 1,300 cases of Chlamydia last year, so it’s im- portant to get checked.

Thanks to patient feedback, we've also introduced bookable appointments for smears.

When you receive your smear reminder letter, you can either go to your GP or book an appointment online to see one of our specialist nurses.

Sexual Health Wirral is run by Wirral Community NHS Trust, Wirral University Hospital Trust and Brook.

It's free, with weekday and weekend clinics held across five different venues, some of which are open until 8pm.

We offer male and female only clinics and a young person's service for 13-to-24-year-olds.

You can also get free condoms at any of our clinics, and we are about to start a condom distribution scheme for vulnerable adults and young people.

We'll be working with local charities and agencies to reach people who may not attend our clinics.

For anyone extremely anxious about going to a sexual health clinic, we can even identify a quiet time to attend or organise fast-track service – just get in touch.

It's so important to look after your sexual health and with Sexual Health Wirral it's easier than ever before.

For more information visit sexualhealthwirral.nhs.uk or follow Sexual Health Wirral on facebook for clinic timetables and events.