The rates of gonorrhoea being detected in Liverpool are rising and currently sit above national average.
A new report into sexual and reproductive health and HIV across the city has detailed how Liverpool’s health services are managing challenges in sexual health and outlined its future plans. A decade ago commissioning arrangements for sexual, reproductive health and HIV were passed to Liverpool Council as a result of the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 in Parliament.
Since assuming the responsibility for sexual health commissioning in 2013, local authorities nationally have been working in collaboration with NHS partners, to maintain and improve access for their residents to sexual, reproductive health and HIV services and to ensure pathways of care. Councils, like Liverpool, can now commission services to communities including contraception, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, sexual health aspects of psychosexual counselling, sexual health specialist services, HIV social care and wider support for teenage parents.
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According to the report, to be discussed at Liverpool Council’s social care and health select committee next week, data on city wide progress shows only the city’s gonorrhoea diagnostic rate is on the increase and sits above England average. Trends for the rates of almost all measured STIs are “decreasing and getting better.”
The report added: “Our chlamydia detection rate is high and we currently are achieving the national diagnostic target (15-24 years) – this is good news and is down to a broad testing programme that is well targeted. There are very high chlamydia detection rates in females aged 15-24 – highest in the North West and we are presently the only core city to be meeting the new national target for females.
“Testing levels are high – high STI testing rate – due to our multiple access points and broad digital offer. Liverpool is currently 2nd highest of all core cities for testing volume.
“Partner notification rates locally are above standards (for both Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia) meaning we have greater ability/skill at treating infected contacts and preventing onward transmission.”
More than 50% of people testing online in Liverpool are said to be from deprived areas, with positivity rate “still high” at around 10%. The report said: “This suggests that our outreach promotion of self-sampling kits, and model to embed QR codes on materials and leaflets is working in accessing those in need and under-served groups.”
In terms of teenage pregnancy, data shows that 103 people between the age of 15 and 17 have been recorded in the last year. The highest rates mirror deprivation and are statistically higher than the Liverpool average in Anfield, Tuebrook & Stoneycroft, Kensington and Fairfield, Everton, County wards.
The report said: “However, we have seen a 2.5-fold reduction in rates in the last 10 years and the trend is still a decreasing one.”
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