Looking for the Hillingdon GUM clinic? It’s currently operating without its walk-in service. A facility issue forced it to appointment-only booking. So this is the latest hurdle for a clinic that, by its own team’s account, is already the smallest and most geographically distant sexual health service in its NHS trust. Here’s exactly what’s happening, where the clinic really is, and how to book.
Where the Hillingdon GUM clinic actually is
A lot of people search for a GUM clinic at Hillingdon Hospital. Or they head to the Tudor Centre. Neither is correct.
Hillingdon’s Integrated Sexual Health Service runs from a separate site: the Wakley Centre, on Grange Road in Hayes.
Address: The Wakley Centre, Grange Road, Hayes, UB3 2RR Phone: 020 8453 2751 or 020 8453 2752 Email: [email protected]
The Tudor Centre at Hillingdon Hospital is real. It houses outpatient services, including dermatology. That’s probably why the mix-up persists.
But the dedicated sexual health and contraception service moved to the Wakley Centre back in 2017, when the local trust merged the two. It’s run by London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust.
The walk-in service is suspended right now
You can’t just turn up at the moment. The Wakley Centre’s walk-in clinic — historically its main route for same-day testing — is temporarily suspended.
The reason given is a facility issue. That means phone or online booking is currently your only option.
It’s worth calling ahead to check whether walk-in access has come back. These things can change with little public notice.
If you need something urgent, don’t wait for a routine slot. This matters especially for emergency HIV prevention treatment after a specific exposure. Call the clinic directly and explain your situation.
An MP visited the clinic. Here’s what the team told him
In July 2025, local MP Danny Beales visited the Wakley Centre. The visit was part of a wider initiative by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), connecting MPs directly with services in their own constituencies.
It wasn’t just a photo opportunity. The team used the visit to raise real concerns, directly with their MP.
According to BASHH’s own account, the Hillingdon team specifically flagged:
- Funding pressure, and the difficulty of maintaining prevention work like PrEP and vaccination programmes
- Workforce training gaps, affecting both the clinic and the wider primary care system around it
- Regulatory concerns about private STI testing providers, which face less oversight than NHS services
- An outdated national strategy — England’s last dedicated sexual health strategy dates back to 2001
- The service’s own small scale — by its own team’s account, Hillingdon’s service is the smallest and most geographically distant in its trust’s wider portfolio
The team also raised links between sexual health and wider social issues, including homelessness. Beales reportedly took notes. He also offered to connect the service with local organisations working on related community health issues.
The funding picture, in context
Here’s some useful context. Sexual health funding across London fell by an average of 16% between 2013/14 and 2017/18, according to London Assembly data. Some boroughs, including Enfield, lost nearly half their funding over that period.
Hillingdon’s own cut was smaller — just 3.4%. That’s one of the lowest reductions of any London borough, even as demand rose across the capital.
So this is genuinely useful context. Hillingdon’s sexual health service hasn’t been gutted the way some boroughs’ have. But two things can be true at once: a relatively protected budget, and a walk-in suspension caused by a real, practical strain.
What the clinic offers, walk-in suspension aside
The core service hasn’t gone anywhere. It covers a wide range of needs, all by appointment for now:
- STI testing and treatment
- Contraception, including pills, condoms, implants, IUDs, patches, diaphragms and vaginal rings
- Pregnancy testing
- Hepatitis B and HPV vaccination
- Post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure (PEPSE) — emergency treatment that can help prevent HIV. It needs to start quickly, usually within 72 hours
Opening hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30am – 7pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30am – 8pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30am – 5pm |
| Thursday | 8:30am – 5pm |
| Friday | 8:30am – 5pm |
If you can’t get an appointment, or can’t get there
Hillingdon residents can order free STI testing kits through SH:24 instead. It’s an online platform covering chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV, with kits delivered at home or available for collection.
Free contraception is available the same way. So this is a genuine alternative if the appointment-only system doesn’t have space soon enough.
There’s also a confidential text and chat line for anyone aged 13 to 19, on 07312 263 856. It covers STI testing, contraception, pregnancy, and support around sexual assault, and runs separately from the main clinic line.
For anything urgent outside clinic hours — a possible HIV exposure needing PEPSE, for example — your nearest A&E can assess and start emergency treatment. That includes Hillingdon Hospital itself. NHS 111 is the right first call if you’re unsure how urgent your situation is.
Confidentiality
Sexual health services stay confidential by law, including for most under-16s. That applies whether you visit the Wakley Centre in person or use SH:24 at home.
Your GP won’t automatically find out you’ve visited. You’d need to tell them yourself. That’s a big reason many people choose a dedicated clinic over a routine GP appointment.
Getting to the Wakley Centre
The centre sits on Grange Road in Hayes. Several bus routes stop nearby, including the 278, 427, 607, 697, 698 and H98.
There’s no parking on site. So public transport is genuinely the easier option if you’re coming from elsewhere in the borough.
Why this matters beyond one clinic
Hillingdon’s story says something bigger about sexual health services nationally. England’s last dedicated strategy dates back to 2001 — before PrEP existed, before home testing was routine, and before the private testing providers the Wakley Centre team raised concerns about.
A service can be relatively well-funded compared to its neighbours, as Hillingdon’s is, and still get stretched thin. Rising demand, workforce gaps, and a national policy that hasn’t kept pace all play a part.
The walk-in suspension is a small, local symptom of that bigger picture. It’s worth knowing that context if you’re trying to understand why a well-regarded local service can still hit a genuine operational snag.
Other sexual health clinics nearby
The Wakley Centre isn’t the only option in the area. Oaklands, in Uxbridge, is another community clinic covering Hillingdon residents.
It’s run through the same North West London sexual health service. So if Hayes isn’t convenient, it’s worth checking there too.
Hours and walk-in policies can differ from site to site. It’s worth confirming current availability directly, rather than assuming one clinic’s rules apply everywhere.
Why regular testing matters, walk-in or not
Many common infections show no symptoms at all. Chlamydia is a good example — plenty of people carry it without knowing.
That means someone can pass on an infection without realising. Regular testing, especially after a new partner, is the only reliable way to catch that early.
Catching an infection early also makes treatment simpler. Left untreated, some STIs can lead to more serious complications. So there’s a real, practical reason not to put testing off, even while the walk-in option is unavailable.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Hillingdon GUM clinic actually located? The Wakley Centre, Grange Road, Hayes, UB3 2RR. It’s not at Hillingdon Hospital’s Tudor Centre, despite that being a common assumption.
Is the walk-in service at the Hillingdon GUM clinic currently running? No. It’s temporarily suspended due to a facility issue, so appointments currently need to be booked by phone or online.
Why did an MP visit the Hillingdon sexual health service? Danny Beales MP visited in July 2025, as part of a BASHH initiative connecting MPs with local sexual health services. The clinic team raised concerns about funding, workforce training gaps, and the service’s own small scale.
Has Hillingdon’s sexual health funding been cut? Yes, but by a relatively small amount. It was a 3.4% reduction between 2013/14 and 2017/18, against an average 16% cut across London, and cuts of up to 47.5% in some boroughs.
What are the Hillingdon GUM clinic’s opening hours? Monday 8:30am–7pm, Tuesday 8:30am–8pm, and Wednesday to Friday 8:30am–5pm.
Can I get free STI testing without visiting the clinic in person? Yes. Hillingdon residents can order free home testing kits through SH:24, covering chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV.
What should I do if I think I’ve been exposed to HIV and can’t get an appointment? Go to your nearest A&E, including Hillingdon Hospital, for emergency assessment. PEPSE treatment needs to start quickly. You can also call NHS 111 for urgent advice.
Will my GP be told if I visit the sexual health clinic? No, not automatically. The service stays confidential. Your GP only finds out if you tell them yourself.
More local Hillingdon coverage from Hillingdon News, including Hillingdon Health Centre.