Sexual health services in Wirral have faced a real-terms cut of more than £400,000 since 2013.
Funding for sexual health services as part of the Public Health Grant was £2,937,896 in 2022, approximately £52,000 less than in 2013.
When taking inflation into account, services have faced a loss of funding of more than £447,000 over the last decade. Its share of the grant has also decreased by 2%.
READ MORE: Female only court plans could come to Wirral after scheme success
At the same time, rates for several sexual transmitted infections (STIs) have increased and late HIV diagnoses remain higher than average.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: "The Wirral sexual health service will be recommissioned from 2024 onwards. As part of this we are doing an in-depth analysis of sexual health in Wirral and look forward to making sure that Wirral residents get the best sexual and reproductive health services."
Detection of chlamydia has dropped by 64% among 15 to 24 year-olds which, if left undiagnosed in women, can lead to infertility. Gonorrhoea diagnoses more than doubled between 2012 and 2019 but decreased to 50 per 100,000 people in 2020.
Over this period, testing decreased and is currently the lowest since 2012 based on the latest available data. In 2020, testing decreased by nearly 36% at a time when many services were shut due to the covid pandemic.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: "The numbers of people screened for chlamydia and detection rates have been falling nationally and regionally. Wirral is in line with this trend, we continue to be one of the higher performers for screening in the North West.
"There is work being done nationally to reconfigure chlamydia screening and reduce the numbers of people with chlamydia.
"Chlamydia detection decreased during 2020 due to the covid pandemic. We are working hard with our service as they continue to recover following covid and adapt to new pressures such as monkeypox."
Some trends have been more positive with the diagnosis rate for all STIs dropping by 72% between 2014 and 2020. Gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses are all below the national average
Genital herpes and warts diagnoses have dropped. Teenage pregnancy has also dropped but is still behind the national average.
Wirral Council oversees the provision of sexual health services through the Public Health Grant given by the Government. The Health Foundation last year found that the grant has been cut by 24% in real terms since 2015.
Councillor Jason Walsh, who sits on Wirral’s health committee, said: “Well it is disappointing. I’m surprised that the NHS is being asked to do more with less money and resources.
“The cuts to funding are definitely linked to a rise in cases. If you do not have proper funding, you are not able to provide the world class service that we all deserve.”
Cllr Walsh said figures for late diagnoses were “serious” and “something that shouldn’t be happening.”
HIV testing in Wirral has increased by 20% since 2013 but late diagnosis is 12% higher than the UK average. Wirral Council said due to the small numbers involved this figure is consistently within the margin of error.
HIV testing among men who have sex with men is higher than the national average at 83.5% and more people with HIV are on effective treatment than on average.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: "Since 2020 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) has been part of our core service provision, and this will help tackle HIV in Wirral.
"We are working with our mainstream providers and bespoke services for higher risk and vulnerable communities to ensure HIV numbers remain low in Wirral, and that people with HIV are detected early and given the right treatment to continue to live their normal lives."
The UK government has committed to ending all HIV transmission by 2030. Many who have HIV are able to receive effective treatment meaning they do not pass on the virus and are able to live normal lives.
However early diagnosis is important in reducing risk of transmission and means more people can make a full recovery.
Anthony Hopkinson, CEO of Sahir House - a sexual health charity, said that testing for HIV is consistent across the Liverpool City Region and "moving in the right direction."
"The population who are HIV positive are now an aging cohort and what we've got to do is make sure they are aging well with HIV."
READ NEXT: West Kirby bistro 'may close' until controversial sea wall is finished
Wirral Tory says Labour should be 'ashamed' of playing politics over cost of living
Nearly 100,000 tonnes of waste goes unrecycled in Wirral every year
Community celebrates new lift after 27 year disability campaign
