Healthcare in Scotland is completely devolved and managed by NHS Scotland, overseen by the Scottish Government. While it shares the foundational principles of the wider UK system—such as free care at the point of use and the sexual health firewall—the administrative structure is unique to Scotland.
🏛️ Regional Health Boards
NHS Scotland is divided geographically into 14 regional Health Boards. These boards commission and deliver all healthcare services, including sexual health clinics, PrEP prescribing, and HIV care.
The major hubs for the LGBTQ+ community are:
- NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (home to the Sandyford clinic)
- NHS Lothian (home to the Chalmers clinic in Edinburgh)
Because funding and service delivery are managed by these individual boards, the digital platforms you use (like online postal testing) or the wait times for PrEP can vary depending on which Health Board area you live in.
🪪 The CHI Number & GP Registration
Scotland does not use the standard 10-digit NHS Number found in England and Wales. Instead, patients in Scotland are issued a CHI (Community Health Index) Number. This is a unique 10-digit identifier.
Do you need a CHI Number for sexual healthcare? No. Sexual health clinics operate under a strict legal exemption. You do not need to prove residency, you do not need a CHI Number, and you do not need a GP to be tested, treated for an STI, given PEP, or prescribed PrEP.
How to get a CHI Number: You are assigned a CHI Number when you register with a General Practitioner (GP) in Scotland.
- Find a local GP surgery using the NHS Inform website.
- Ask to register as a patient.
- Under NHS Scotland guidelines, you do not need proof of address or proof of ID to register with a GP.
🔒 The Sexual Health Firewall
NHS Scotland operates a strict legal separation between your general medical records (held by your GP) and your sexual health records (held by the Health Board's GUM clinic).
When you attend a clinic like Sandyford or Chalmers, even if they have your CHI Number, they are not allowed to share your attendance, your HIV status, your PrEP usage, or your STI results with your GP without your explicit, written consent.
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