Southport's 'P' in the Park

NHS Sefton’s Sexual Health Service, ISIS, will be asking festival goers to pee in the park in a bid to stop Chlamydia in its tracks!

Members of the ISIS team will be on hand with their testing kits at the Jedi Music Festival, which takes place on Sunday 1st August at Victoria Park, Southport .

The test is straightforward and only requires a small amount of urine in a sample bottle. It’s now even easier, as those who take the test can receive the results via text message to their mobile phone.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK . It is transmitted through unprotected sex and it often has no symptoms so people may not realise they have it.

It affects both men and women and can lead to health problems, including infertility. Once detected, Chlamydia is easy to treat with antibiotics. In an effort to reduce the spread of Chlamydia partners of those who test positive are also offered testing and treatment.

On the day, the team will be on hand to offer advice and support, and will provide sexual health information and materials, including condoms.

They will quite literally be ‘raising awareness’ of the ISIS service when they take a ride on the 140ft Zipwire , which travels across the park. They will each be harnessed to the steel wire, which swoops down 1000ft, gathering speeds of up to 40mph!

Lynne Hindle , NHS Sefton’s lead for Chlamydia, said: “Chlamydia remains the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection in people under the age of 25. We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone in this age group to access Chlamydia testing. Offering the test at the festival is just one of the ways we are doing this.

“Everyone aged between 16-25 years old who accesses healthcare settings should be offered a Chlamydia test but it means that hundreds more miss out, and some of them may be spreading the infection unknowingly. By attending the festival we are bringing the test to them.”

Wendy Leyland, Jedi Music Festival event organiser, said: “ We are thrilled that NHS Sefton is joining us in our efforts to promote health and wellbeing in young people.”

For information on Chlamydia screening or to request a Chlamydia postal kit call 01704 385053 , or visit our Chlamydia website at www.seftonchlamydia.nhs.uk

More information on Sefton’s ISIS sexual health clinics can be found at http://www.isis.sefton.nhs.uk/