Architecture

Innovative Soho clinic streamlines sexual health testing

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An innovative self-service sexual health clinic has opened in Soho, London, where anyone can be screened free of charge six days a week
An innovative self-service sexual health clinic has opened in Soho, London, where anyone can be screened free of charge six days a week
A series of iPads located in the reception area, allows patients to log themselves into the system
Penson architects designed the clinic to resemble anything but a medical facility
Patients will only need to wait six hours to get their results back
Anybody who needs a quick sexual health check-up can benefit from the self-service clinic
The NHS Dean Street Express clinic was designed by Penson architects and features a high-tech system that allows patients to do all of the administration for themselves
The Dean Street Express Clinic interior design was inspired by luxury hotels and restaurants
Each patient is given a kit to facilitate a variety of self-service tests, such as collecting urine samples or mouth swabs
Each patient is given a kit to facilitate a variety of self-service tests, such as collecting urine samples or mouth swabs
The clinic is home to the first on-site Infinity machine, which quickly tests all samples and returns results to the patients within six hours
Inside the Dean Street Express Clinic
The clinic walls feature photography of iconic Soho landmarks
The clinic includes fittings from famous Soho shopfronts
Designer fittings and artwork litter the facility
The unique semi-automated system means the medical staff have more time to focus on testing samples and getting results back to their patients as soon as possible
Reception area at the Dean Street Express Clinic
Inside the Dean Street Express Clinic
No appointment is necessary and it's open to all members of the public, regardless of age, sexual orientation or whether you're a resident of the area
Dean Street Express Clinic was designed by Penson architects
View gallery - 19 images

An innovative self-service sexual health clinic has opened in Soho, London, where anyone can be screened free of charge six days a week, while only waiting six hours to get their results back. The NHS Dean Street Express clinic was designed by Penson architects and features a high-tech system that allows patients to log themselves in, before being given a self-test kit and shown to a screening room. The clinic is also home to the first on-site Infinity machine, which quickly tests all samples and allows for results to be sent back to the patients within six hours of testing.

"Anybody who needs a quick sexual health check-up can benefit from the self-service clinic," Penson architects tells Gizmag. "No appointment is necessary and it's open to all members of the public, regardless of age, sexual orientation or whether you're a resident of the area."

Each patient is given a kit to facilitate a variety of self-service tests, such as collecting urine samples or mouth swabs

Drawing inspiration from luxury hotels and restaurants, Penson architects designed the clinic to resemble anything but a medical facility. Designer fittings and artwork litter the facility and the four screening rooms have been designed around different aspects of the surrounding Soho areas; including fittings and elements from famous shopfronts and photography of iconic landmarks.

"We like to think we captured the essence of Soho pretty well," tells Penson. "We love the photography that lines the walls in the downstairs waiting area. All of the images are of the Soho area and were taken by nurses who work at the clinic."

The self-service clinic comes equipped with a series of iPads located in the reception area, which allows patients to log themselves into the system, before being sent through to one of the four screening rooms. Each patient is given a kit to facilitate a variety of self-service tests: such as collecting urine samples or mouth swabs. However, patients wishing to complete HIV and other blood test will be personally seen by an onsite medical practitioner. This unique semi-automated system means the medical staff have more time to focus on testing samples and getting results back to their patients as soon as possible.

The unique semi-automated system means the medical staff have more time to focus on testing samples and getting results back to their patients as soon as possible

Inside the screening room, demonstration videos explain to the patients how to complete the test themselves. Once they have prepared the test samples all they need to do is insert them into an air-tight capsule and place it into a vacuum tube which shoots it through to the lab for testing. Six hours later patients will then receive an SMS text message with their results and instructions on how to make a follow-up appointment if treatment is required.

"Personally we love the pneumatic vacuum systems that carries samples from the screening rooms to the lab for testing," tells Penson. "It was great fun to design something so futuristic and for all the right reasons."

Dean Street Express Clinic is open Monday to Saturday til 7pm and the video below demonstrates how the self-service facilities work.

Source: Penson

View gallery - 19 images
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4 comments
BigGoofyGuy
While I think that is really nice, it is a little too white / sterile. IMO, it needs a little more color.
If they are referring to the gnumatic tubes as 'futuristic', I believe that has been around for quite some time.
Stuart Wilshaw
The clinic is a great idea; the decor is naff to the Nth degree, far to sterile.
Pneumatic tubes were in use in Victorian times, nothing new there!
quax
Free of charge, confidential and fast. This ladies and gentlemen is how you improve public health.
AJS
"we love the pneumatic vacuum systems ... something so futuristic"
A good application but futuristic-wise this technology is more back to it:
1853: linking the London Stock Exchange to the city's main telegraph station (a distance of 220 yards (200 m) ) 1861: in London with the London Pneumatic Despatch Company providing services from Euston railway station to the General Post Office and Holborn 1865: in Berlin (until 1976), the Rohrpost, a system 400 kilometers in total length at its peak in 1940 1866: in Paris (until 1984, 467 kilometers in total length from 1934) 1875: in Vienna (until 1956) 1887: in Prague (until 2002 due to flooding), the Prague pneumatic post[6] 1897: in New York City with the New York pneumatic tube mail connecting Brooklyn and upper and lower Manhattan with 27 miles (43 km) of tubes, connecting 23 post offices. (until 1953)