Our Services
The Porterbrook clinic is one of the largest NHS clinics for the treatment of patients with psychosexual problems. We are part of Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust and work in partnership with the department of urology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Several members of the staff participate in local and national representative committees, societies, associations and journals.
The core activities of the Clinic are:
1. Providing a diagnostic assessment, therapeutic and treatment programme for people with problems in their sexual lives. The most common problems involve difficulties in responding sexually (especially erectile problems in men & vaginismus and difficulties achieving orgasm in women). Other problems such as loss of desire, sexual aversion and unusual sexual preferences (such as fetishism and sexual behaviours which constitute an offence) are seen within the Clinic. In many cases, the couple relationship may be affected by these problems.
The main stay of assessments in this area is a careful sexual history. All therapists within the clinic have considerable experience in working within this field. Partners are encouraged to attend the Clinic. Where appropriate further investigations can be carried out by members of the team. The Clinic has immediate access to provocative and nocturnal RigiScan tumescence and rigidity monitoring machines as well as the MIDUS clinic Doppler Ultrasound machine & the NEVA machine. We have also recently aquired a GSA machine for neurological testing and nerve conduction studies. Phlebotomy services and immediate access to members of the team from different multidisciplinary backgrounds ensures a premier assessment and diagnostic service to all patients attending the Clinic. All staff attend weekly supervision sessions including an externally led group session on a fortnightly basis. It is anticipated that all staff will meet criteria for recognition as supervisors in the newly created position of accredited supervisor recently introduced by BASRT in September 1998.
Treatment includes simple advice, supportive counselling, psychotherapy (which includes bahavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic and systemic, or a combinaton of these), sex therapy, couples therapy, pharmacological or hormonal treatment, use of mechanical devices and appropriate onward referrals to other specialists.
2. Undergraduate training. Sheffield has a long history of teaching the medical undergraduates about human sexuality. This has been a core part of the syllabus for many years within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and more recently within Community Medicine. Trainees are provided with lectures as well as a half day seminar in small groups to understand the impact of sexual and relationship problems on an individual and the couples' general well being. The interface between medicine and sexuality is core to the teaching programme.
3. Postgraduate training. The Sheffield Clinic was one of the first in the country to offer a Postgraduate multidisciplinary training in human sexuality. It remains one of only 4 approved and established sites within the UK to provide a comprehensive training programme in assessment and diagnostic practice as well as clinical application primarily from a psychotherapeutic sense but also integrating modern physical treatments for the whole range of problems seen in psychosexual medicine. The Clinic offers a 4 year part time (44 weeks a year) programme at both Postgraduate Diploma level and MSc Level. The course is validated by the Sheffield Hallam University. It is also approved for recognition towards individual therapist accreditation by the British Association for Sexual and Marital Therapy. We also provide input into programmes for obstetric & gynaecology doctors, family planning practitioners, midwives, group psychotherapists, CMHN's and social workers.
Further information for postgraduates.
4. A regional gender dysphoria service. This is for patients with concerns about sexual orientation, transgenderism or transsexualism. Patients may be seeking sex reassignment surgery or simply advice. We offer an initial assessment programme which may take up to 6 months participation. For patients where recommendation for progression into the treatment programme is obtained from the multidisciplinary team, the 'real life experience' is encouraged. The individual is encouraged to live fully in the chosen gender role with advice, support and hormonal treatment from staff in the Clinic including a doctor, nurse, psychotherapist, speech therapist, style counsellor, pastor and district nurse with support from a technician and secretary made available. Referral to a surgeon for sex reassignment surgery after a second opinion, subject to local health authority funding, is part of the overall package.
Information leaflets.
5. Clinical research. The need for clinical outcome studies continues to be of paramount importance in all fields of psychotherapy and the Clinic is actively involved in a medium to long term outcome study. There is also active research with physiological and psychological assessment of various patient groups attending the Clinic. These include patients with male erectile disorder, FSD, vulvodynia and concerns about penis size as well as patients with co-morbid psychiatric disorder.
6. Clinical audit. The Clinic is actively involved with clinical audit and enjoys a favourable integration within other psychotherapeutic disciplines through connections at Central clinic, Brunswick House and the Sheffield Centre for Therapeutic Studies.
7. Liaison groups. The recent introduction of Clinical Case Conferences has been established which is open to all professionals working in the field of human sexuality in and around Sheffield. These are held twice a month on Thursday lunch times. A list is available from the Course Administrator or our web site. We also offer consultancy supervision for therapists working outside of the clinic to allow other therapists to continue good clinical practice by being supervised by a BASRT accredited therapist. We also provide lectures for other groups of professionals.
Referrals to the Clinic
Referrals are received from any health professional and we do not discriminate between heterosexual, gay, bisexual or persons with any disability. We offer services to individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds and can offer confidential translation facilities.
Porterbrook Clinic does not undertake work that is about addressing offending behaviour or mental health issues, but we do not exclude working with patients who may have these issues. We may be able to provide advice on sexual function and/or sex or relationship difficulties, to agencies responsible for managing offending behaviour or mental health
The Porterbrook Clinic uses rooms at Nether Edge Hospital. The Porterbrook Clinical Lead is Dr Kevan Wylie. We are part of SHSC, part of the NHS.
We have partnership working arrangements with the Andrology department at the Department of Urology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital (contact Melanie Hawley on 0114 271 3334).
Staff
Services are provided from the Porterbrook Clinic by Prof Kevan Wylie, Dr Anita Taylor, Julie Fitter, Llynwen Wilson, Caren Shepperd, David Steward, Kirsti Santoro, Liz Wainwright, Melissa Peet, Dr Ayan Nayak, Dr Hasit Vaidya, Debbie Davies-South, Sally Robbins-Cherry, Matthew Peace, Roy Levin, Mark Hayter, Brian Daines, Barbara Molteno & other staff members.
Secretarial staff are Katie Roe (Business and Admin Manager), Janet Reynolds (Reception and General Enquiries ), Training & MSc programmes - Antony Baker, Matthew Hanson (PA to Prof Dr Kevan Wylie), Teresa Luckhurst (Clinic Secretary), Maria Ali (Business Admin Apprentice)
Our telephone number is (0114) 271 6671 and our fax number is (0114) 271 8693.
This page was last updated on 12th December 2012
