Services for sexual health

The UK has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe. In 2004, the rate was about four times the rate in the Netherlands or Switzerland, and twice as high as Germany or France. The rate of abortions is growing, with more than 180,000 abortions carried out in 2005 – an increase of 50% from 1984. The known incidence of chlamydia increased by more than 300% between 1996 and 2005, and the known incidence of HIV increased from 2,500 to almost 7,500 cases between 1995 in 2005.

Sexual ill health has significant costs for both individuals and the NHS. The physical costs to individuals can range from a brief period of discomfort to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and, in some cases, death as a result of HIV/AIDS. Sexual ill health also affects certain groups of people more than others, with factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation and sexual orientation having an impact on the level of risk. The costs to the NHS are more than £700 million a year.

The Government has set challenging targets for sexual health services to improve access to genitourinary medicine services and to reduce rates of conception among people under the age of 18. The 2007/2008 operating framework for the NHS confirms that sexual health and access to genitourinary medicine services will continue to be a priority this year.

The Healthcare Commission, as a regulator, plays an important role in helping to improve the quality of sexual health services in the NHS and independent sector.

Find out more about our work to improve sexual health services

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