Welsh Government
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New five year plan to improve sexual health
Fresh plans to improve sexual health services and reduce teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Wales have been published.
The Assembly Government plan highlights the importance of prevention, education, individual responsibility, and access to healthcare services.
The plan also aims to promote a culture where people feel able to discuss and ask questions about sexual health and relationships openly.
It sets out how local health boards, health and social care and wellbeing partnerships and children and young people partnerships can work together with young people and their families.
Some of the actions included in the plan are:
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£450,000 worth of grants to be targeted at areas with the highest rates of teenage pregnancies. This will enable a focus on sustainable, long-term action to prevent unwanted conception by developing sexual and relationships programmes for those most vulnerable to teenage pregnancy;
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Information will be produced to help parents discuss sexual health with their children;
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Integrated sexual health services that meet the needs of a wide range of people, including younger people who access them will continue to be developed;
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Working with people living with HIV to develop ways to tackle stigma;
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Disseminate information, evidence, best practice and learning through the All Wales Sexual Health Network.
The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, said:
“Access to sexual health services has improved in recent years, but we must go further. This plan reinforces our commitment to sexual health services and improving people’s sexual health.
“This plan outlines what I expect Health Boards to develop – in association with colleagues in local authorities – to improve services and reduce the incidence of STIs and teenage pregnancies.
“Preventing unplanned pregnancy and STIs provides a high rate of return for the NHS. It is estimated that every £1 spent on contraception, £10 is saved for the public purse.
“Ultimately though, as with many health-related issues, we can provide information, education and services, but people must take personal responsibility for their actions."
Education Minister Leighton Andrews added:
“Sex and relationship education is an important part of growing up. This new action plan recognises how education can help provide young people with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices.
“Our revised Personal and Social Education Framework, which has been introduced in schools and colleges, aims to develop self-esteem and self-awareness, while empowering young people to explore the many aspects of sexuality and healthy personal relationships.”
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Jane Wilkinson said:
“It’s important that individuals have the information, knowledge and skills to make informed choices.
"Teenage pregnancy is a complex issue that requires an integrated response. This plan recognises that we need to provide good quality sex and relationships education for young people, accessible sexual health services, and tackle the wider issues associated with teenage pregnancy such as poverty, excessive alcohol consumption, low educational attainment and lack of aspiration.
“This plan will help individuals build the skills and confidence to talk about relationships and aims to address the stigma associated with STIs to encourage more people to get checked.”
Public Health Wales will now set up and chair an Advisory Group that will report to the Health Minister on the progress being made on the implementation of this action plan. It will also manage the grants scheme to help reduce teenage pregnancy.
Dr Marion Lyons, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control and Sexual Health lead for Public Health Wales said:
“This funding provides us with the opportunity to work closely with some areas that have high rates of teenage conceptions. Based on the best available evidence, we will help them assess and develop the services and interventions they have in place to reduce teenage conceptions.
“The projects will be rigorously evaluated and in time we will be able to extend the learning from this to benefit all areas of Wales.”
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