Sexual problems can impact anyone at any stage in life, whether you are in a relationship or not. Sometimes the way we think about sex or previous experiences can have a negative effect on our sexual performance.

If you experience any of the following, or find your sex life is being affected by other worries or concerns, please speak to a doctor or nurse in clinic

-Premature ejaculation or rapid ejaculation – inability to control ejaculation (“coming” too soon)

-Delayed ejaculation or absent ejaculation – difficulty in reaching ejaculation

-Erectile dysfunction (impotence) – inability to get or keep an erection

-Impaired sexual interest – no interest in sex, causing concern in the individual

-Impaired arousal – difficulty in becoming sexually aroused

-Orgasmic dysfunction or anorgasmia – finding it difficult to reach orgasm despite adequate sexual stimulation

-Dyspareunia – pain when starting or having sexual intercourse

-Vaginismus – not being able to tolerate any vaginal penetration

-Vulvodynia – Chronic pain around the vulva particularly at the entrance to the vagina (Vestibulodynia) . This may be present all the time or be triggered by sex, tight clothes rubbing the area or other events.

Members of our medical team have been trained to assess and manage some of these problems. We are also able to make referrals to colleagues from the Clinical Psychology Department  at Salisbury District Hospital to help support and manage people we have seen with these conditions, and other problems which may impact on their sexual health and sexual function.

Unfortunately, due to funding limitations, the Clinical Psychology Department at Salisbury District Hospital is currently unable to accept referrals for sexual problems directly from clients or from GP’s/other clinicians outside of the Wiltshire Sexual Health Service (WiSe).

However, we can supply details of several accredited local Therapists working privately or for non-NHS organisations, e.g. Relate, College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists, Institute of Psychosexual Medicine, Wiltshire IAPT and The Vulval Pain Society.

We are unfortunately not funded or commissioned to run a specialised Psychosexual Therapy service. As a result, we regret that we are unable to offer help for the following:

-Medical assessment and treatment of erectile dysfunction (please see your GP who may be able to help you and/or refer to the local Urology Department if needed.

-General relationship issues (please contact Relate for individual or couple counseling.

-Gender Identity (please see NHS Choices for information about NHS Gender Identity Services)

-Psychological Support for historical Sexual Abuse/ Sexual Assault (please contact Revival (Wiltshire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre).

-Sexual addiction/ sexual offending (Association for the Treatment of Sexual addiction and Compulsivity & Specialist Treatment Organisation for the Prevention of Sexual Offending