What is UNISEX?

UNISEX is the sexual health promotion and drug/alcohol awareness service for students at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton. It is a joint initiative funded by the universities and Brighton & Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust, and is the only one of its kind within Higher Education in the UK.

Our aim is to deliver a programme of community-led health promotion activity which:

• reduces the incidence of HIV infection and STIs
• reduces the incidence of unintended pregnancies
• reduces the incidence of substance misuse related harm and
• promotes positive sexual health and well being within the university communities

We aim to achieve this by increasing awareness about the transmission and prevention of HIV and STIs; testing and treatment services; the availability or contraception, condoms and pregnancy testing; the effects, potential harms and safer use of drugs and alcohol; and local advice and support services.

In 2009 the local PCT launched a new HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Strategy that provides UNISEX with a framework of key themes and aims in which to plan and deliver our work. Working within the local strategy ensures our resources are utilised to maximum efficacy and that our work is contributing to wider national aims and objectives in he fields of sexual health and substance misuse.