17 June 2016

For immediate release

CLASH bids farewell to Soho

CNWL health promotion specialists at a unique service that had offered advice and information clinics to sex workers in Soho over a period of 28 years have said their farewells to the area.

Following funding and commissioning changes CLASH - Central London Action on Sexual Health - is now based at the Mortimer Market Centre off Tottenham Court Road, and focuses its work on Camden and Islington.

Outreach will continue in Westminster but will be shared by CNWL partner organisations; PSP (Praed Street Project) and SWISH, who will be picking up the work that CNWL and CLASH developed into a first-class service for these workers.

There will also be a dedicated clinic at Mortimer Market for female sex workers every Monday and Friday morning where people will receive the same service as previously provided in Soho.

CLASH has a proud record of achievements.

Set up in 1987 in the heart of Soho to address concerns that marginalised groups, including sex workers, were not using the healthcare services around HIV, CLASH initially offered advice, support, and information on safer sex and safer drug use and brought the services to them.

But as time went on it developed into a specialised sexual health clinic for male and female sex workers that also addressed risky behaviours including drug use.

Its work has involved referring and supporting women into rehabilitation centres, escorting them to other services and helping them to create informed choices in their lives.

It used to do outreach around Piccadilly aimed at male sex workers, and has worked closely with charities such as the Terrence Higgins Trust on health promotions aimed at the gay community.

It also reached women from migrant communities working in the sex industry and visited flats in Soho where women sold sex.

Speaking on behalf of fellow team members Chris Higgins and Kaylee Linton, Health Promotion Specialist Chrissy Browne said: "Our clients appreciated our wide breadth of services and trusted us allowing us to build strong relationships with our clients and through this trust, encourage our clients to come to our sex worker clinic, where we would offer full STI screening, HBV (Hepatitis B) vaccinations, contraception and one to one support.

"It is sad that we have left Soho, and I have many memories of our time there, but our former clients will still receive excellent services from our partners.

"It's time to look forwards. We will focus our work locally within Camden and Islington, and deliver outreach to local sex workers, BME groups; homeless service users and men who have sex with men (MSM)."

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL
Tel: 020 3214 5756 e-mail:communications.cnwl@nhs.net