Misty Media Sex Blog

October 6th 2005, 20:44 Jeff Sela

According to a report by the Terrence Higgins Trust, the waiting times for tests and treatment of HIV and other STIs are contributing to a rise in sexual ill health.

Levels of sexual disease have been increasing alarmingly in the UK in recent years, and are now the highest since the time of World War 2. Workload for GUM clinics has increased far more rapidly than their funding.

The government has allocated £300 million of new funding for sexual health clinics, but the report questions whether this will be delivered effectively:

Worryingly, there will be no stringent checks in place to ensure this money will be put into tackling sexual health. Without it, GUM clinics and community based sexual health services will continue to fight a losing battle against the rising burden of STIs in the UK.

The recent funding is viewed by many as the last chance to turn around sexual health services. It has the potential to make a massive difference, to both the individual and to public health. It's an opportunity which must be taken immediately.

According to the BBC the Department of Health has responded thusly:

Tackling the rise in sexually transmitted infections is a government priority.

Sexual health now plays a key role in local delivery plans—in particular, 48 hour access to GUM clinics, reducing gonorrhoea rates and implementing the chlamydia screening programme.

One of the main aims of our sexual health strategy is to relieve the burden on traditional services by providing screening and testing in a range of different settings such as pharmacies and GP surgeries.