Public education campaign could overwhelm sexual health services
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《英国医生杂志》
Government proposals to mount a public education campaign on sexual health later this year threaten to bring specialist services to breaking point, a leading expert has warned a parliamentary select committee.
Professor Kinghorn, senior consultant in genitourinary medicine at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told the House of Commons Health Committee that primary care trusts, which commission services, have been diverting government funds, earmarked for sexual health, into other areas.
Professor Kinghorn is one of several witnesses called to give evidence to the committee, which began its inquiry last week into new developments in HIV/AIDS and sexual health policy last week (27 January) since its own recommendations, published in 2003.
He told MPs that the almost all the extra ? million ($9.4m; �7.2m) had reached sexual health clinics, but half of the normal ? million budget allocated for 2003-4 had been withheld.
"A third of the funding appears to have been used for other purposes," he said. "Sexual health is not seen as a priority." This would be repeated at the same time as demand for services continued to grow, unless trusts were forced to prioritise sexual health, he said.
He pointed out that, in Sheffield alone the caseload had increased 73% between 2001 and 2003 and that the incidence of gonorrhoea had doubled and that HIV had trebled year on year.
He applauded the plans for a public education campaign, outlined in the government抯 white paper on public health, Choosing Health, published in November 2004.
But he warned that the campaign would boost demand even further: "Unless an increase in capacity goes hand in hand with , services already under severe pressure will be in a state of collapse," he said.
New funding for increased capacity was available, he added, but was not due to come on stream until 2006-7. "We simply can抰 squeeze any more out of the old system," he told the BMJ after the session.
The government has pledged to speed up roll out of a national chlamydia screening programme by March 2007 for women under the age of 25. And it has set a target of a 48 hour maximum wait for an appointment at genitorurinary clinics by 2008.
But Professor Kinghorn said that reaching the 48 hour target would be "very challenging," and that "there may be difficulties in achieving date." The most sensitive diagnostic test for chlamydia was currently available for only 25% of cases, he added.
Another witness, Macclesfield GP William Ford-Young, criticised the negotiators of the new GP contract for failing to include sexual health screening and treatment in essential services provided by primary care.
This was "a great missed opportunity," he said, adding: "Over 50% of my colleagues want to be included in chlamydia screening, but the contract is getting in the way."(London Caroline White)
Professor Kinghorn, senior consultant in genitourinary medicine at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told the House of Commons Health Committee that primary care trusts, which commission services, have been diverting government funds, earmarked for sexual health, into other areas.
Professor Kinghorn is one of several witnesses called to give evidence to the committee, which began its inquiry last week into new developments in HIV/AIDS and sexual health policy last week (27 January) since its own recommendations, published in 2003.
He told MPs that the almost all the extra ? million ($9.4m; �7.2m) had reached sexual health clinics, but half of the normal ? million budget allocated for 2003-4 had been withheld.
"A third of the funding appears to have been used for other purposes," he said. "Sexual health is not seen as a priority." This would be repeated at the same time as demand for services continued to grow, unless trusts were forced to prioritise sexual health, he said.
He pointed out that, in Sheffield alone the caseload had increased 73% between 2001 and 2003 and that the incidence of gonorrhoea had doubled and that HIV had trebled year on year.
He applauded the plans for a public education campaign, outlined in the government抯 white paper on public health, Choosing Health, published in November 2004.
But he warned that the campaign would boost demand even further: "Unless an increase in capacity goes hand in hand with , services already under severe pressure will be in a state of collapse," he said.
New funding for increased capacity was available, he added, but was not due to come on stream until 2006-7. "We simply can抰 squeeze any more out of the old system," he told the BMJ after the session.
The government has pledged to speed up roll out of a national chlamydia screening programme by March 2007 for women under the age of 25. And it has set a target of a 48 hour maximum wait for an appointment at genitorurinary clinics by 2008.
But Professor Kinghorn said that reaching the 48 hour target would be "very challenging," and that "there may be difficulties in achieving date." The most sensitive diagnostic test for chlamydia was currently available for only 25% of cases, he added.
Another witness, Macclesfield GP William Ford-Young, criticised the negotiators of the new GP contract for failing to include sexual health screening and treatment in essential services provided by primary care.
This was "a great missed opportunity," he said, adding: "Over 50% of my colleagues want to be included in chlamydia screening, but the contract is getting in the way."(London Caroline White)