What we do

The Health Shop is a free, confidential drop-in service, based in Nottingham and open to all. We offer advice and support on a wide range of issues regarding substance abuse and sexual health.

Harm Reduction:

• Needle and Syringe Exchange
• One-to-one advice and Support Around Substance Use
• Blood Borne Virus Testing and Vaccinations
• LFT’s for heavy drinkers and drug users
• Harm Reduction Advice
• Specialist Steroid and Image Enhancing Drugs Clinic
• Auricular Acupuncture

Sexual Health:

• One-to-one Advice and Support
• Free condoms and lube
• C-card registration and Distribution
• Emergency Hormonal Contraception (Morning After Pill) and Pregnancy Testing
• STI testing (for people with no symptoms) / Clinical Psychology Service

We are an inclusive service and are able to provide specific sexual health services to straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual and gender variant people.

Needle Exchange:

The Health Shop provides residents of Nottingham City with a comprehensive harm reduction and a specialist needle exchange service in a friendly, non-judgmental and confidential environment.  Our service works with individuals misusing a diverse range of substances such as prescription drugs, growth hormone and club drugs. The core aims of this service are to reduce injecting related harm, transmission of blood borne viruses and drug related deaths. The Health Shop offers:

• Safer injecting advice
• Overdose prevention advice and take home Naloxone
• Full range of sterilized injecting and drug taking equipment including never share needles
• BBV screening and a hepatitis B vaccination course
• Supply of personal sharps bin
• Wound care and treatment for injuries from intravenous drug use
• Prescribing for non-complex health issues
• Specialist advice for pharmacy needle exchange providers
• Comprehensive service for Chemsex users this includes access to Clinical Psychology
• Targeted outreach provision

Steroid Clinic

The Health Shop is one of only a limited number provides in the country to offer a specialist Anabolic Steroid (AS) & Performance and Image Enhancing Drug (PIED) service called ‘RIPPED’.

RIPPED offers service user’s comprehensive advice, Liver Function Tests, blood pressure monitoring, cholesterol testing, dietary advice and checks on testosterone levels. A sports pack for steroid users is also available through selected community Needle Exchange Pharmacies.

BBV & STI

Blood borne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV can be transmitted from one person to another through unprotected sex, blood to blood contact and sharing of any injecting equipment this includes needles, spoons, water and filters. Early screening is essential as an infection may initially present as flu like symptoms and the virus could remain silent for many years, which could lead to serious complications.

Did you know that there are now new treatments for hepatitis C with a 90% success rate of clearing the infection within 12 weeks?

NRN in partnership with the Health Shop offers an inclusive and confidential BBV and sexual health clinic to meet the needs of straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual and gender variant people. With over 26 years of experience, the Health Shop has built an exceptional reputation amongst service users; we take great pride in delivering a clinical service in a friendly and a relaxed atmosphere ensuring that your welfare is at the centre of everything we do. Some of the services we offer include:

• BBV screening and vaccination for hepatitis A &B
• Dried blood spot testing for people with poor venous access or phobia to needles
• Outreach service and satellite clinics to meet the needs of hard to reach groups
• Access to onsite antiviral treatment through a hepatology nurse
• Safe sex advice & STI screening (for people with no symptoms)
• Free condoms & lube
• C-card registration and distribution
• Pregnancy testing
• Emergency contraception
• Clinical psychology

Drop in for a chat:

The Health Shop
12 Broad Street
Hockley
NG1 3AL

Our Opening Times

Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri: 9am – 4.30pm
Wed: 2.00pm – 7.00pm
Saturday: 9.00 am – 1.00 pm
*Appointments are required for some services, call us on 0115 905 5001 if you’re unsure.
**If you need a needle exchange outside of these hours please visit Boots Broadmarsh (Approx 0.5 Miles Away).