Sexual health: STI rates trebled in the past 10 years
The UK's local health services are failing to adequately address the growing rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a study carried out by HIV and sexual health charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust.
Sexually Transmitted Infections: Tackling a growing crisis highlights the need for faster treatment in genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics, and states that the longer a person remains untreated, the more likely they are to pass on an infection.
"With current waiting times for clinic appointments, it is no wonder that STI rates are continuing to rise," said Nick Partridge, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust. "A quarter of people in England have to wait more than two weeks to be seen. It is simply not good enough."
Findings from the report show that only 45% of people attending GUM clinics in the UK are seen within 48 hours. However, rates of STIs have almost trebled in the past 10 years, and the workload of GUM clinics has risen by 70% since 1997.
In 2004, the Government published its Choosing Health white paper, and announced plans to allocate £300m to transform sexual health services in England from 2006. However, the Terrence Higgins Trust has called for clearer checks to ensure this money reaches the correct places.
"From 2006, the £300m allocation will begin to be available to the NHS, but it is essential it reaches local frontline sexual health services. We now have the worst sexual health since the Second World War. We must use this opportunity to turn things around," said Partridge.
