Sexual health in the UK has been declining overall thanks to rises in syphilis and gonorrhoea, along with a drop in funding that has affected various sexual health clinics up and down the UK.
At the same time, the demand for sexual health services is rising. In the last five years, attendance at sexual health clinics has risen by 13%, which is more than 3 million people. This increased demand is putting even more strain on the NHS, so the UK health and social care committee has launched an enquiry to solve the crisis.
A rise in STIs in the UK
Sexual health services are vital, especially for young people, who tend to be less informed about safe sex. The rise in STIs is very clear; new diagnoses of gonorrhoea have risen by 66% over the last five years, and reports of syphilis rose by 136%. This is a staggering increase, but the news is not all bad. Chlamydia infections actually decreased over the last few years, and this is partially due to the availability of at home testing kits that are convenient and easy to use.
If you want to order chlamydia testing kits London, head to sites like https://www.bexleysexualhealth.org/chlamydia_screening/ to find out more.
Finding a solution
There are lots of problems that could affect the rise in STIs, such as cuts to sexual health services, people feeling too awkward or embarrassed to get tested, and a lack of convenient options.
One potential solution to the problem is providing more at home testing kits that people can order online. This places less pressure on sexual health clinics, and it means that people do not have to deal with a potentially awkward face-to-face conversation. This is ideal for younger people, but it can also be used by busy adults who simply can’t find the time to spend a few hours waiting in their local clinic.
It is also worth noting that more funding would certainly benefit sexual health services. Many services are stretched. Cuts have resulted in less staff and less medical equipment and medicine, but a rise in patients means that many people have to wait for hours to be seen. This is very off-putting and is likely part of the reason at home testing kits are so popular.
