Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Public Health requesting that the Panel consider and challenge outcomes relating to sexual health in Southampton.

Dr Jason Horsley (Director of Public Health) and Tim Davis (Senior Commissioner - Healthy Lives) were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel received two presentations setting out the background to the sexual health services within the City.  The briefings outlined the structure and responsibilities of each of the providers of sexual health services and a brief assessment of the sexual health of the City. 

Following the presentation the Panel sought insight on a number of issues including:

• An understanding of how Southampton compared statistically to other areas.  The Panel learnt that a meaningful assessment of sexual health was complicated but were informed that the levels were not dissimilar to other large university cities;
• The aims of the new strategy, focussing on the need to improve the City’s sexual health, were explained;
• The links between deprivation and sexual health and how certain demographical groups were likely to be affected.  It was further explained that sexual health and in particular the rate of teenage pregnancy could be affected by religious beliefs and origin;
• The support given to parents and the schools to deliver advice on good sexual health.  It was explained that the City’s performance continued to be effected by changes in life styles such as: the use of social media to find partners; the numbers of residents originating from areas where diseases like HIV are prevalent; or the reduction in teenage drinking and drug use;
• The effects of the reduction of the service budgets over the years.  The Panel noted that whilst the service had been impacted by the budget reductions this had been mitigated to some extent by the introduction of innovative practices.  As an example it was explained that self-test kits were now being issued. The Panel noted that the process of issuing kits was monitored and that there is a follow up scheme; and
• The Panel also recognised that provision should be built into the plan in order for it to be regularly assessed.

RESOLVEDthat the Panel:

(i)  Welcomed the development of the new sexual health improvement plan. The Panel hoped that as the plan developed it would seek to resolve the fragmented nature of the service and stress the importance of working with education providers; and 

(ii)  Requested that the action plan be brought to a future meeting of the Panel.