New government resources to encourage sexual health service improvements

Public Health England has announced the publication of new resources to help enhance the delivery of local sexual and reproductive health services.

The package provides the latest evidence on the impact and economics of opportunistic chlamydia screening and HIV screening/testing, topics selected in accordance with key sexual health indicators outlined in the Public Health Outcomes Framework.

Currently, around half of all HIV diagnoses in the UK are made late, resulting in worse outcomes and furthering the spread of the disease. Moreover, there are estimated to be around 22,000 people living with undiagnosed HIV across the country.

As such, the government believes embedding screening and testing in local medical and community services are essential to improving the overall standard of sexual health services.

Dr Anthony Nardone, consultant epidemiologist in Public Health England's HIV team, said: "There is an opportunity for all relevant stakeholders, like local authorities, clinical commissioning groups, NHS England teams and providers, to collaborate to reduce late HIV diagnoses."

This comes after the body announced new plans to develop a national framework for HIV, sexual and reproductive health service commissioning in England earlier this year.