Your rights

Can I get advice about sexual health issues such as contraception or abortion without involving my mum or dad?

Yes. Doctors, nurses and other health workers are not allowed to give anyone, including your parents, information about you and what you say to them, without your consent, except in exceptional circumstances. If you are under 16, doctors and other workers still have to keep what is said private. Sometimes, a health worker may decide that a young person is not mature enough to make decisions about their treatment, but the consultation can still be confidential. If you are under 16 and worried about whether you will be seen in confidence, you can give a service a quick call anonymously and ask about their confidentiality policy.

Anyone over 16 can consent to medical treatment, including contraception or abortion. If you are under 16 you can consent to treatment as long as the health worker believes you understand the decision you are making. They would usually encourage you to involve your parents in the decision, however it is your decision whether to involve them or not.

I’ve known my GP for years and I feel embarrassed asking him/her about personal things. Can I go anywhere else for advice about sexual health?

Yes. If you prefer you can visit another GP, a local young person’s service, a Brook Centre or a family planning clinic for advice on contraception and other sexual health issues.

Will another doctor or clinic tell my GP that I’ve been for sexual health advice?

They will normally explain that it would be a good idea from a medical point of view for your own GP to be told. However, they should not tell them if you don’t want them to.

Can I do anything if I think a health worker has told someone else something I told them without getting my permission?

Yes. If you think this has happened you can make a complaint. You can also get advice on how to make a complaint from an independent body in your area. More details of how to make a complaint and the support available are available here.

I’m not 16 yet. Am I allowed to get condoms?

Yes. Anyone can buy condoms from shops or vending machines, or they are available free of charge from Brook Centres, family planning clinics and young people’s centres.

I’m pregnant and I’ve decided I want an abortion, but my doctor wasn’t very helpful when I went to see them. What can I do?

If you live near a Brook Centre you can see a doctor there. You could also ask to see another doctor in the same practice, or go to your local family planning clinic.  Try to see someone as quickly as possible. The normal legal limit for an abortion is 24 weeks but it is usually easier to get an abortion through the NHS before you are 12 weeks pregnant.

In Jersey abortion is only legal up to 12 weeks.