UK: England’s Sexual Health Clinic Facing Budget Cuts

Health security is one of the basic securities concerned with public health and services linked to social security scheme. In England the clinics providing sexual health facilities to the public are facing budget cut from the government. And it is creating problems as in the long run it would create serious health risks. To cope up with the increased demand the budget cut strategies of the government that could cut £600m by 2020-2021 should be stopped immediately. And reverse the budget cut to funding the sector for development.
The Local Government Association (LGA) represents 370 councils in England and Wales also criticize saying, budget reductions needed to be halted immediately to cope with rising demand.
Chairman of the LGA’s community wellbeing board Mr. Ian Hudspeth, in this regard commented, “While it’s great to see a huge increase in people taking their sexual health seriously is pushing some councils’ sexual health services to peak capacity levels.”
The total number of sexual health screens tests for different diseases including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV has risen by nearly a fifth (18%) during this period, from 1,513,288 in 2013 to 1,778,306 in 2017.
Figures also showed there were 3,323,275 attendances at sexual health clinics in England in 2017, up 13% on the 2,940,779 visits in 2013, and the equivalent of an extra 210 a day, or 1,471 a week.
> Alma Siddiqua