Services & Departments

What to expect at your visit

On arrival, you will need to register at the clinic reception. The doctor or nurse you see will ask you some questions about your health and with your permission, and if required, may perform a physical examination. STI testing usually includes the following:
• Swabs (which may be self collected)
• Urine
• A blood test

For patients with Medicare, the BRaSH clinical service and most laboratory tests and treatments are provided free of charge. In some cases, you may need a prescription or a referral for follow up elsewhere. For Medicare ineligible patients BRaSH does not charge for the clinical service, however laboratory tests and some treatments may incur charges.

All information you provide is confidential and you have the right to refuse any aspects of the care offered.

HIV and STI information and resources

FACT SHEET: Frequently asked questions about sexually transmissible infections

FACT SHEET: All you need to know about STI testing

Stay STI Free 

Let Them Know (partner notification)

Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

Pre Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

PrEPaccessNOW (PAN)

Thorne Harbour Health

Victorian HIV Service

HIV Self-Testing Australia 

Reproductive Health information and resources

1800 my options 

Jean Hales Guide to Womens Health 

Sexual Health Victoria

Choices clinic University Hospital Geelong

Pelvic Pain & Endometriosis Clinic

Health Care Professionals referral process and guidelines

Referring your patient:

Referral to BRaSH may by the following:

1. Patients may present to BRaSH clinics for a booked or walk in appointment – please provide documentation of presenting issues, relevant pathology results and treatment history to the patient to take to the clinic
2. Direct referral: Fx: 03 4215 1366
3. Direct referral:  Phone BRaSH Nurses at UHG or BHN on clinic days
4. For urgent referral or advice please contact the Infectious Disease Registrar On Call through the University Hospital Geelong Switch board on 03 4215 0000
5. GP Referral Template is available at https://www.barwonhealth.org.au/health-professionals/outpatient-services/referral-templates, please fax the referral directly to the BRaSH clinic (rather than send via ReferralNet, as this may result in delay)

PHN guidelines and referral directory: Western Victoria Health Pathways

Guidelines:

Australian STI Guidelines
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
ASHM

Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Antiretroviral Guidelines (HIV)
Australasian Contact Tracing Guidelines

Notifiable infections:
Some sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV, are notifiable by clinicians to the Victorian Department of Health.
Please visit the Department’s Notifiable Conditions webpage for more information about which conditions are notifiable and how to complete a notification.

Patients with an STI can be directed to the Let Them Know website for guidance around informing their sexual partners, including via anonymous SMS.
Support with partner notification is available for complex cases, and can be requested as part of completing a notification to the Department of Health.
For any questions about public health management of notifiable conditions, clinicians are welcome to contact the Barwon South West Public Health Unit on (03) 4215 4000.

Other clinical services available in the region

Melbourne Sexual Health partner GP clinics:

• About MSHC partner GP clinics
•  Anglesea Medical
• Kardinia Health, Belmont

For urgent care; if you are unable to access a GP or Sexual Health Centre

If you have symptoms you can check how urgently you require care at - https://www.staystifree.org.au/how-urgent-are-my-symptoms/
If you require urgent care, and are unable to access a GP or Sexual Health Centre, the following urgent care services are available in the region

Urgent Care Centres

• Barwon Health North 
• Lorne and Apollo Bay 
• Colac Area Health 

Priority Primary Care Centres (Medicare Urgent Care Clinics) https://www.health.vic.gov.au/priority-primary-care-centres,

• Geelong Priority Primary Care Centre
• Warrnambool Priority Primary Care Centre 

Youth support

Headspace

News and latest health alerts

Barwon South West Public Health Unit