The targets announced in the sexual health and HIV strategy became national standards in 2002, in line with ‘Shifting the Balance of Power’ and the need to minimise the number of centrally determined targets. Genito-urinary medicine clinics achieved an uptake rate for HIV testing of 66 per cent. in 2004 and 70 per cent. in 2005, which exceeded the national standard.
Newly acquired (incident) HIV infections in the United Kingdom occur primarily in gay and bisexual men. Incidence in this group is monitored through unlinked anonymous surveillance of those with previously undiagnosed HIV infection attending a sample of genito-urinary medicine clinics. This surveillance indicates that the level of new infections has been stable since 2001, when the incidence standard was set.
Sexual health is a higher priority now than it has ever been. It is one of the top six priorities for the NHS in 2006-07 and was a key feature of the Public Health White Paper “Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier”, copies of which are available in the Library.
The “Choosing Health” White Paper introduced strengthened performance management for sexual health. In particular, NHS local delivery plan (LDP) targets have been introduced for:
100 per cent. of patients attending a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) service to be offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours of contacting a service, by March 2008;
decrease in the rates of new diagnoses of gonorrhoea; and
percentage of people aged 15 to 24 accepting chlamydia screening.
We are making good progress on the GUM target. Already 65 per cent. of patients are seen within 48 hours. This compares with 48 per cent. in August 2005.
The number of new cases of gonorrhoea fell by 13 per cent. in 2005. This is particularly significant given the previous 10 per cent. fall in cases from 2003 to 2004, and with fewer cases reported across all English regions.
The chlamydia LDP target will be introduced in 2007-08.
Sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment is funded through general allocations and is not separately identified. In addition, primary care trusts (PCTs) received funding for implementing the targets in the White Paper “Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier”. PCT revenue allocations separately identify funding to support the implementation of “Choosing Health”. It is for PCTs to determine how to use the funding allocated to them to commission services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations.
The available information is set out in the following tables.
2002 2003 2004 2005 Total aged under 19 years old 197 192 206 185 Notes: 1. Information by PCT is not available prior to 2002. 2. For reasons of confidentiality, at PCT level, the total number for 15 to18-year-olds can not be released separately from the under 19 total.
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Females 519 602 594 536 525 Males 187 200 207 234 244 Total 706 802 801 770 769 Notes: 1. Selected STIs where age groups were available include primary and secondary syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, uncomplicated chlamydia, genital warts (first attack) and genital herpes (first attack). 2. Data on the age band 15 to 18 are not collected centrally.
The available information is shown in the following tables.
Figures are provided on number of conceptions leading to maternities and abortions for girls aged under 16 and girls aged under 18 from 1999 to 2004 (latest year for which figures are available) so that meaningful comparisons can be made on number of abortions and maternities that occur each year by age of woman. Conceptions data for girls aged under 15 and 15-18 are not readily available by primary care trust (PCT) and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. In addition, figures for girls aged under 15 are likely to be very small at PCT level and hence would not be provided to preserve individuals’ confidentiality.
Conceptions leading to maternity Conceptions leading to abortion Total conceptions Girls aged under 16 year 1999 42 28 70 2000 33 24 57 2001 30 31 61 2002 30 24 54 2003 24 27 51 2004 21 17 38 Girls aged under 18 1999 223 100 323 2000 199 107 306 2001 184 106 290 2002 223 110 333 2003 205 106 311 2004 174 77 251
Females under 20 1999 141 2000 130 2001 130 2002 195 2003 154 2004 141 2005 208 Note: Selected STIs include: infectious syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, anogenital herpes simplex (first attack), anogenital warts (first attack) and uncomplicated chlamydial infection. Source: Data in these tables are derived from statistical returns compiled at GUM clinics on the KC60 form (Health Protection Agency).