ADPH and EHSHCG respond to STI stats

In partnership with the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners’ Group (EHSHCG), we are urging the Government to urgently increase support and funding for sexual health services across the UK in response to the publication of the latest annual data on sexually transmitting infections (STIs) for 2022.

Prof. Jim McManus, ADPH President and Director of Public Health for Hertfordshire, explained:

“Demand on sexual health services is at record levels. This rise in cases of STIs is very concerning – and a clear indication of that demand.

“Sexual health services simply cannot continue to support increasing numbers of people without an increase in funding and support. It is unsustainable.”

James Woolgar, Chair of the EHSHCG, added:

“The good news is that more and more people are visiting clinics and other diagnostic services and coming forward to be tested. However, the bad news is that this trend will necessarily be reversed if clinics are forced to reduce their services through lack of funding.

“In simple terms, this will mean that not only will rates of infection continue to rise, but so too will the numbers of people being left untreated and that is a very worrying situation.”

Sexual health clinics in England are funded by the Public Health Grant which has been cut in real terms by over a quarter since 2015, while numbers of people using them have continued to climb and are at a 20-year high.