Genitourinary clinics were historically created to treat venereal diseases - legally defined as syphilis, gonorhoea and chancroid. Their role has developed with the occurence of different diseases, such as gonorhoea in the 60s, chlamydia in the early 70s, AIDS in the 80s, etc.
Today they provide an utterly confidential (as dictated legally) place of self referal for people with any worries about genitourinary symptoms. They also receive referals - formal and informal - from other health professionals, the best example of the latter being the HIV testing offered, confidentiality about which cannot be signed away in insurance agreements.
The counselling role of the clinics, particularly with respect to HIV testing, is important.
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