What Actually Happens at Your First SHIP Sexual Health Appointment in Cranbourne West

What is SHIP?

SHIP stands for Sexual Health In Practice. It’s a national training program that gives
Australian GPs and nurses advanced clinical skills in sexual healthcare. Cranbourne West Medical Centre
is an accredited SHIP clinic in formal partnership with Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) — meaning
our team has been trained by the leading sexual health authority in Victoria. We’re part of a Victorian
government initiative to expand judgement-free sexual healthcare across Melbourne.

Step 1: Booking (or walking in)

For STI testing alone, you can simply walk in during clinic hours — Mon–Fri 9 AM–8 PM, Sat–Sun 9 AM–2
PM. For PrEP, PEP, contraception or gender-affirming care, we recommend booking a longer slot via
HotDoc. There’s no online form asking awkward questions. Just choose a time that works.

Step 2: Arriving at the clinic

Walk in through the main entrance at Shop S15, 19 Strathlea Drive. Reception will not ask you the
reason for your visit at the front desk. You can simply say “I have an appointment with
[GP/nurse name]” or “I’m here for SHIP” — both are perfectly normal at our
clinic and reception staff are trained to maintain your privacy.

Step 3: The nurse assessment

Most SHIP visits start with our experienced nurse — typically Nurse Practitioner Daniel Sankar (35+
years in sexual health, including a decade at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre). The conversation is
private, in a closed-door consult room, and follows a standard sexual history script. Daniel asks the
same questions to everyone — there are no “bad” answers, no judgement, no surprises.

Step 4: Testing

If testing is appropriate, this is when it happens. Tests are tailored to your situation, but commonly
include: a urine sample (Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea), a blood draw (HIV, Syphilis, Hep B, Hep C), and
self-administered swabs from any relevant site (throat, rectum) which you do yourself in private.
Pap-style swabs and cervical screening can be combined for women if due. We never collect tests you
didn’t consent to.

Step 5: GP review (if needed)

For more complex needs — PrEP/PEP, contraception, gender-affirming hormone therapy, or treatment of
confirmed infections — you’ll then see one of our SHIP-trained GPs. This is when prescriptions are
written, hormone therapy plans are set up, and any procedures (like IUD insertion) are scheduled.

Step 6: Results

Most STI results come back within 5–7 days. We’ll text or call you with results — using whatever
wording you’ve agreed (e.g. “please come back to discuss results” if you prefer extra discretion). If
you test positive for something treatable, we contact you the same day.

Confidentiality — how we protect your privacy

SHIP visits are bulk-billed by Medicare, but the consultation reason is not listed on your Medicare
statement. Our medical record system has stricter access controls for sexual health information. Test
results are never shared with third parties (employers, insurers, family members) without your explicit
written consent. If you’re under 16 we follow Victorian Mature Minor laws — your visit can still be
confidential.

Common things people worry about (but don’t need to)

“Will I be judged?” — No. We see hundreds of patients across the spectrum of sexual orientations,
identities and life experiences. Our team is explicitly LGBTQIA+ affirming. “Will it hurt?” — Tests
rarely hurt. Self-collected swabs are painless. Blood draws are a quick pinch. “Is it really free?” —
Yes, fully bulk-billed for valid Medicare card holders. The vaccines (HPV, Hep B, Hep A) may be free
under the NIP or attract a private fee. “What if I have an infection?” — Most STIs are easily and
confidentially treated, often within a single visit.