Sexual health services face 'unprecedented' demand as gonorrhoea and syphilis cases soar
New data from the Office of Health Disparities show that 97% of councils have seen increases in diagnoses of gonorrhoea, with 10 councils seeing numbers triple
Sexual health services in England are facing “unprecedented” demand with councils across England calling on the Government to provide them with extra funding.
Cases of gonorrhoea and syphilis have soared since 2017, according to analysis from the Local Government Association (LGA).
Almost all council areas (97%) have seen an increase in the number of gonorrhoea diagnoses, the LGA found, with Wigan, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Torbay reporting the biggest rise in cases.
The London borough of Lambeth had the highest rate of diagnoses, with 1,221 cases per 100,000 people. All of the top ten areas for diagnoses were inner London boroughs.
The largest increase in cases of syphilis were on the Isle of Wight, in Middlesbrough, Darlington and Redcar and Cleveland, while 71% of council areas of the UK have seen an increase.
More than two-thirds of council areas have seen the rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis increase in the last six years, while 36% of local authority areas have seen increases in cases of chlamydia.
Demand for sexual health services has continued to grow, with nearly 4.5 million consultations carried out in 2022, up by a third since 2013.
In 2022 more than 2.2 million diagnostic tests were carried out, which is a 13% increase compared to 2021.
Some of the increase in case numbers can be attributed to better access to tests, but the scale suggests that there are also more cases emerging in many communities across the UK, the LGA said.
Demand for consultations and tests has increased, but funding has been reduced.
Between 2015 and 2024 the public health grant received by councils has dropped by £880 million in real terms, based on 2022-23 prices, the LGA said.
This has left councils with less money for STI testing, contraception and treatment services.
Local sexual health services are grappling with "unprecedented increases in demand," according to Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board Cllr David Fothergill.
“Councils have been working hard to encourage more people to access sexual health services and get tested more regularly to help improve detection rates and catch infections early," he said.
Without sufficient investment, sexual health service users will face "severe challenges" in accessing expert and timely care, Dr Claire Dewsnap, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) said.
Helplines and support
There are lots of useful helplines to find out more information and advice on sexual health
You can call the national sexual health helpline free on 0300 123 7123, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 4pm. Your call will be treated with sensitivity and in strict confidence.
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) – provides advice and support about contraception, abortion and sexual health; call the helpline on 03457 30 40 30, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, Saturday and 9.30am to 2.30pm on Sunday or email info@bpas.org
Brook – the young people's sexual health charity for under-25s provides advice, support and information about your nearest sexual health clinic
FPA – provides information about individual methods of contraception, STIs, pregnancy choices, abortion and planning a pregnancy
Switchboard: the LGBT+ helpline – provides an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans (transgender, transsexual, transvestite) people; call the helpline on 0300 330 0630, open 10am to 10pm daily
Terrence Higgins Trust – provides information, support and advice about HIV and sexual health; call the helpline on 0808 802 1221, open 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday
Health for Teens – includes sexual health information and advice for teenagers
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