Sexual health of England in 'rapid decline'

A report by an influential Commons health committee has claimed that the sexual health of population in England is in "rapid decline".

In the report published today, the committee said that syphilis rates have increased by 500% in the last six years and those for gonorrhoea have doubled. It also pointed to "worrying new trends" in the infection and transmission of HIV that have emerged.

Also, up to 10% of women are infected with chlamydia, and rates of teenage pregnancy are the highest in Europe.

In its damning findings, the committee said that the sexual health services appear "ill-equipped" to deal with what it describes as a "crisis".

"Genito-urinary medicine clinics are often dilapidated so we ask trusts to give priority to improving them," the report found.

"Chlamydia screening has been piloted at two sites; the results were so worrying that we recommend the immediate introduction of a chlamydia screening programme nationally in a range of settings. We also urge the abandonment of the most widely used test, which produces far too many false-negative results, in favour of more sophisticated tests generally used elsewhere."

It added: "Not only are there now more HIV patients than ever before, but there are more infections to be diagnosed — an estimated 6,500 new diagnoses in 2002."

The committee highlights: a failure of local NHS organisations to recognise and deal with this major public health problem; a lack of political pressure and leadership over many years; the absence of a patient voice; a lack of resources; a lack of central direction to suggest that this is a key priority; and an absence of performance management.

The BMA's Head of Science and Ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, "strongly welcomed" the report.

She added: "We are shocked by the statistics and soaring rates of sexually transmitted infections. The government needs to tackle this issue as the UK is on the brink of a sexual health crisis."

(GMcG)