New Family Planning Centre opened in Northern Ireland

Marie Stopes Northern Ireland has opened a world class sexual and reproductive health centre in Belfast, offering the people of Northern Ireland a wide range of family planning and sexual health services under one roof.

Dawn Purvis, Programme Director at Marie Stopes Northern Ireland said: “We believe this is great news for the people of Northern Ireland because we will be able to meet their family planning and sexual health needs in a way that has not been seen here before. We have a new, purpose built, centrally-located specialist centre; our team are highly trained and dedicated health care professionals; and our services will be delivered in a confidential, sensitive and non-judgemental way.

“Marie Stopes International is well known for focusing on offering services where they are needed most and a centre like ours has never existed before in Northern Ireland – we know that people here want this kind of world class service.”

A wide range of sexual and reproductive services are available from the centre, including: short and long-term contraceptive options (including condoms, injection, IUD); emergency contraception; HIV testing; STI testing and treatment; ultrasound scanning; and medical abortion up to nine weeks’ gestation. Our provision of early medical abortion will be the same service that is currently available from the NHS in Northern Ireland, available only within the current legal framework, when the life of the pregnant woman is at immediate risk and / or if there is a long term or permanent risk to her physical or mental health.

Marie Stopes are working in partnership with many organisations and experts in the province to make sure that our centre meets the needs of the people of Northern Ireland while working within all relevant laws and guidelines.

Purvis continues: “with our partners, we will be regularly assessing our centre and service offering to understand where we can continue to build and improve our services to meet the needs and requirements of the people of Northern Ireland.”

Better2Know has a private clinic in Belfast offering confidential and anonymous STD testing in Northern Ireland with fast turnaround times in an anonymous setting.  Our clinic sees patients wanting all different types of medical treatment so no one needs to know why you are there.