Dr Giola welcomes referrals or self-referrals for all the following sexual health-related problems; he is happy to refer and coordinate care with psychosexual counsellors and pelvic physiotherapists.
General Sexual Health
• Routine sexual health checks and advice on STIs;
• Initial assessment and management plan for genital warts and HPV;
• Recommendation and prescription of the vaccination for HPV;
• Management of genital herpes: genital herpes carries a far greater psychological emphasis than the condition itself, hence it is important to receive accurate information and understand your options in the management of this condition.
Female Genital Problems
• Skin problems in the vulval area, including lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, eczema and dermatitis;
• Chronic and recurrent thrush (Candida);
• Chronic bacterial vaginosis and other vaginal discharge problems;
• Chronic vulval and vaginal pain (vulvodynia/vestibulitis).
Male Genital Problems
• Assessment and management of all skin problems affecting the penis, foreskin and genital area;
• Chronic urethral symptoms and discharge;
• Chronic prostatitis;
• Chronic pelvic and genital pain;
• Medical assessment and treatment of male sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation).
Transgender medicine
• Initiation and management of cross-gender hormone therapy, after successful evaluation by a mental health provider confirming the diagnosis of gender identity variance.
SHM Specialists generally do not offer:
• On-line consultation service;
• Treatment to children and younger adolescents under 16 years of age;
• Psychotherapy/counselling for sexual dysfunction.
From the MCNZ website: Sexual health medicine is concerned with sexual relations, including freedom from sexually transmissible infections (STIs), unplanned pregnancy, coercion and physical and psychological sexual discomfort. Its practice encompasses a wide range of factors that contribute to STIs, sexual assault, sexual dysfunction and fertility. It also promotes sexual health of the community through education, advocacy, screening and diagnostic testing. It has a clinical perspective and a public health approach. It includes the treatment of individuals and the contact tracing and treatment of their sexual partners.
Vocational training in sexual health medicine is undertaken through the Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine (AChSHM) of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). Once training is completed, the doctor is awarded the Fellowship of the AChSHM (FAChSHM).
To obtain the FACSHM, the trainee completes at least 6 years of training:
• 3 years of basic internal physician training and a pass in the FRACP examination; OR specialist training and relevant Australasian Fellowship awarded in adult internal medicine, paediatrics and child health, dermatology, obstetrics and gynaecology, general practice, pathology, psychiatry, public health medicine or urology.
• 3 years of advanced training in sexual health medicine: supervised experience in specialised clinical practice, covering reproductive health, psychosexual counselling, sexual abuse medicine, HIV/AIDs, colposcopy and genital dermatology; detailed patient management of STIs, including HIV; completion of core training in STI/HIV medicine and microbiology required before entry into final year of training
The FAChSHM is awarded on satisfactory completion of examination and training requirements; participation is required in the AChSHM continuing medical education programme.
Dr Massimo Giola 