03.09.18
Record-high sexual health demand putting ‘severe strain’ on council resources
Record-high demand is putting pressure on local authorities’ struggling sexual health services, a new study has found.
Research by the LGA highlighted that the 3.3 million attendances to England’s sexual health clinics in 2017 was a 13% increase on attendances from 2013—prompting concerns about the impact the growing demand will have on already-cut public health services.
The number of sexual health screens—tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV— have risen even higher during this period, by 18%.
The LGA noted that government cuts to councils’ public health budgets, with a £600m reduction to public health grants between 2015-16 and 2019-20, have left local authorities struggling to meet the increased demand for sexual health services.
The local government body said: “Councils are pleased people are taking greater personal responsibility for their sexual health, but say this is putting a severe strain on councils’ resources. They are warning that it will be hugely challenging to maintain services at the current level because budgets haven’t kept pace with growing demand.”
Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board Cllr Ian Hudspeth said the rising demand is pushing some councils’ sexual health services to peak capacity levels which are “not sustainable” in the long term.
“Cuts to public health funding need to be reversed as this could affect councils’ ability to meet further increases in demand and respond to unforeseen outbreaks of sexually transmitted infections,” he commented.
“While it’s good news that diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections have fallen, it will be hard to maintain this progress with some sexual health services at breaking point.”
Enjoying PSE? Subscribe here to receive our weekly news updates or click here to receive a copy of the magazine!
Image credit: Alexthq