Research published today by Terrence Higgins Trust shows overwhelming public support for sexual health and HIV to be made a priority for the NHS. It comes at a times when the UK’s sexual health is at an all-time low with the highest ever rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and with waits of up to six weeks for appointments in Genito Urinary (GU) Clinics for sexual health check-ups.  The survey also highlighted a startling lack of awareness about sexually transmitted infections among the public, and young people in particular.

The charity is simultaneously publishing “Blueprint for the Future”, a bold vision for redesigning sexual health services to tackle the sharp rise in demand for, and under-investment in services in recent years.  The charity believes that a comprehensive and collaborative overhaul of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care services is necessary to make it easier for people to look after their sexual health and bring rates of infections down.

Said Paul Ward, Deputy Chief Executive, Terrence Higgins Trust:
“It’s time for a new approach to reverse the parlous state of sexual health in the UK today. Three quarters of the public want the Government to make sexual health and HIV a priority for the NHS, and we’d urge them to listen.  Despite the best efforts of front line services, more people with HIV and other STIs are going undiagnosed and untreated than ever before, with disastrous results.”

The charity’s Blueprint outlines a vision for modern sexual health services, which include:
• Local and national Co-ordinated programmes of work to prevent STI and HIV infections
• New walk-in rapid access community-based STI and HIV testing services
• Community-based STI service networks with GU services as the specialist hub
• The establishment of a “mixed economy” approach to HIV and STI care, involving GPs, hospital services and charities
• A drive for self management to encourage people to take responsibility for their sexual health, by establishing new expert patient programmes

Angela Robinson, President of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) said:
“Terrence Higgins Trust’s report provides an opportunity for all involved in sexual health and HIV care to be innovative in developing new approaches and consolidate practice which has been proven to be effective.

“The challenges for statutory services include working in partnership with the voluntary sector to instigate and evaluate new innovations to provide quality healthcare for the at-risk population. 

“Greater priority to prevention of HIV and STI transmission is essential, and this blueprint places it firmly back at the top of the agenda.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Key facts about HIV and sexual health in the UK today:

• HIV is the fastest growing serious medical condition in the UK today.  Care for people newly diagnosed with HIV costs the NHS an additional £50m a year, and a £1bn a year is incurred in lifetime treatment costs of those already living with HIV

• Diagnoses of HIV increased by nearly 200% between 1996 and 2002, and cases of chlamydia increased by over 140% between 1996 and 2002 (Health Protection Agency)

• Despite these increases, the number of GU clinics has not increased since 1997.  Although clinic workload has increased by more than 70% since then, funding over the same period has increased by less than a third (More Disturbing Symptoms, THT 2003)

• GUM clinic waiting times are much longer than the proposed national target of 48 hours, with many patients waiting as long as six weeks for an appointment. Studies suggest that approximately a third of patients with symptomatic STIs continue to have sexual intercourse. (Health Select Committee, June 2003/HPA, June 2003)

• Only one in eight GUM clinicians responding to a recent survey believe they have enough resources to manage their current workload, and more than two thirds say their ability to provide services is getting worse. (More Disturbing Symptoms, THT, December 2003)

• Sexual health clinics are not being given the funding allocated to them by the government. An audit by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) found that only half of clinics in England had received their share of the £5 million announced by the government at the end of last year. (BASHH, May 2004)

• The report is being sent to all PCTs and Strategic Health Authorities in England and Wales.