Agenda item

Laura French, Consultant in Public Health, will presenting recent findings and data from the review of local sexual health needs.

The Public Health Consultant presented the findings of the Sexual Health Needs Assessment highlighting that all local authorities accessing the Public Health Grant must provide open access, integrated sexual services. As part of the presentation, it was noted that:

·       The needs assessment is a systematic approach to ensure procurement secures the services that meet the needs of the population.

·       The methodology involved considering comparable areas to see what they are doing, and looking at data from ONS, Public Health, sexual health providers and UHL.

·       Opinions were sought from experts and local providers and a public consultation was ran simultaneously.

The assessment found that:

·       Leicester was ranked 58^th of 154 upper tier local authorities for new STI diagnoses in 2023 (excluding chlamydia). This rate was slightly lower than the national average.

·       Diagnoses in young people (aged 15-24) of new STI’s was higher than the national average.

·       Chlamydia was still the most diagnosed STI (measured separately).

·       The rates of gonorrhoea had increased, this was a trend reflected nationally.

·       Leicester has a high prevalence rate of HIV and whilst testing has been good there is a high prevalence of late diagnoses resulting in worse outcomes.

·       The uptake of long term and reversible contraceptives was lower than the national average, with noticeable variations between different communities.

·       GP surgeries have been decreasing their spending and prescribing of contraception year on year as there has been a shift in where contraception has been accessed.

·       Provision of postnatal contraception needed to be improved.

·       Leicester had higher than national rates for termination of pregnancy and this had increased, which was an area of focus nationally by health teams.

·       Under 18 conception rates have fallen significantly – 80% since 1999. Leicester rates overall are comparable to the national average, yet there is significant variation across different City wards with more deprived areas having higher rates of conception than the national average.

·       Leicester had demographic features which have created challenges such as:

-          a younger than average population which has been the group accessing services the most;

-          areas of severe deprivation which has correlated to poorer sexual health outcomes;

-          diversity which has impacted how services have been accessed;

-          vulnerable communities whose specific needs have to be accounted for.

The Sexual Health Needs Assessment makes over 30 recommendations with the 12 identified in the Executive Summary. The key themes of the recommendations include:

·       Access – range of methods including telephone and online

·       Service user led services

·       Better integration across the system

The key challenges identified in meeting recommendations was the funding, staffing and changes to ways of working that have occurred, alongside the rise in some STI’s, abortion rates and the challenges identified in impacting on HIV.

The Chair thanked the Public Health Consultant for a very thorough summary that encompassed an extensive amount of work. As part of discussions the Chair queried whether the low STI diagnoses rate was due to an unmet need or whether a good job was being done. Members also queried what could be done to encourage repeat testing around HIV. It was noted that too many options can be detrimental to people accessing services and a simpler route may be better, for example a ‘one stop’ telephone or website to prevent confusion. 

AGREED:

·      The Board thanked Officers for the presentation.

·      The audit for the HIV action plan be brought to the Board when completed.