Became Member: 6th October 1993
Left House: 22nd July 2019 (Retired)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Gould of Potternewton, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Baroness Gould of Potternewton has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Baroness Gould of Potternewton has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Under the Equality Act 2010, HIV infection is already a qualifying condition for disability from the point of diagnosis. People diagnosed with HIV are, therefore, eligible for the protections in the Act available to those with disabilities.
As announced on 30th March 2017, 70 organisations were selected to be put forward to share £12 million worth of investment from the Tampon Tax Fund. All applications into the fund were assessed against three criteria: evidence for the need of the project; the organisation’s ability to deliver; and the sustainability and impact of the project. A list of the 70 organisations has been published on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charities-across-the-uk-benefit-from-tampon-tax-fund
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against disabled people in the provision of goods, facilities and services. Sport England has produced the ‘Accessible Sports Facilities’ guidance note to ensure that providers meet the needs of the widest range of people in the design, operation and maintenance of sports facilities.
The Arts Council has published guidance called 'Building Inclusion: Physical Access Guidance for the Arts' which covers access in relation to all aspects of arts buildings from arrival and circulation to toilets and signage for all users - staff, artists and the public.
The Arts Council's current capital programme has focused on repair, renewals and refurbishments including supporting applications that seek to improve physical access. Organisations in the Arts Council's 2015-18 portfolio will need to provide an Audience Development plan for access for deaf and disabled people as part of the Funding Agreement negotiations.
We want schools to provide all young people with a curriculum that equips them for success in adult life.
High quality PSHE teaching has an important role to play in this, helping young people understand the world around them, building resilience and helping them to make positive choices and stay safe. We have made it clear in the introduction to the national curriculum that all schools should make provision for PSHE, drawing on examples of good practice. Academies and free schools are encouraged to teach PSHE as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
Sex education is already compulsory in secondary maintained schools, and the Government is clear that all schools should make provision for high quality, age-appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE) which is a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain.
The Secretary of State agrees that we need to look again at the case for further action on PSHE and SRE provision, with particular consideration to improving quality and accessibility. We are actively considering what steps we could take, including whether to update the existing SRE guidance and will give a view soon.
We want schools to provide all young people with a curriculum that equips them for success in adult life.
High quality PSHE teaching has an important role to play in this, helping young people understand the world around them, building resilience and helping them to make positive choices and stay safe. We have made it clear in the introduction to the national curriculum that all schools should make provision for PSHE, drawing on examples of good practice. Academies and free schools are encouraged to teach PSHE as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
Sex education is already compulsory in secondary maintained schools, and the Government is clear that all schools should make provision for high quality, age-appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE) which is a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain.
The Secretary of State agrees that we need to look again at the case for further action on PSHE and SRE provision, with particular consideration to improving quality and accessibility. We are actively considering what steps we could take, including whether to update the existing SRE guidance and will give a view soon.
The Government received a petition on extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples from the Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign on 17 November.
We are currently waiting for a judgment from the Court of Appeal on this matter and are unable to comment whilst legal action is ongoing.
The Government is committed to equality, and we will provide an update on the Government’s position on civil partnerships once legal proceedings have concluded.
The Government received a petition on extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples from the Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign on 17 November.
We are currently waiting for a judgment from the Court of Appeal on this matter and are unable to comment whilst legal action is ongoing.
The Government is committed to equality, and we will provide an update on the Government’s position on civil partnerships once legal proceedings have concluded.
The Government has already carried out a consultation on the future of civil partnerships in 2014, and has no plans to carry out another consultation on this issue.
Following the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, we carried out a full review of the operation and future of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which included a thorough public consultation on potential changes to civil partnership. Views were invited on three options: abolishing civil partnerships; phasing them out; or extending them to opposite sex couples.
The review found that there was no clear consensus on the future of civil partnerships. A majority of respondents to the consultation were against extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples and a significant number of stakeholders thought it was too soon to consider making changes to civil partnerships until the impact of extending marriage to same sex couples is known. Given the lack of any consensus, the Government has no current plans to make changes to the Civil Partnership Act 2004.
Children and young people with medical conditions should receive the support they need to enable them to participate in a full education. The Government has introduced a new duty at Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 under which school governing bodies must make arrangements to support such pupils.
The guidance for this duty has been developed in collaboration with a range of stakeholders including the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance, school leaders, academy organisations, unions, Department of Health officials and young people and their parents. In particular, the guidance advises schools to consider the social and emotional implications associated with medical conditions.
NHS England promotes partnership working in the commissioning and provision of services for children and young people with HIV. The Children's HIV Association is a member of the HIV Clinical Reference Group and leads projects with teachers to promote HIV awareness in schools.
Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rightly rest with schools, individual teachers and heads, as they are in the best position to make judgements about their requirements.
As explained in my answer to question PQ HL4437, the Department for Education does not prescribe specific measures to tackle the stigma of HIV in schools. However all schools are required to promote mutual respect and tolerance.
The UK pledged to Leave No-one Behind as part of delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This means ensuring the inclusion of the poorest and most marginalised people for example girls and women and people with disabilities.
The International Development Act (Gender Equality 2014) requires due regard to the impact on gender inequality before providing development and humanitarian assistance. In May 2016 the UK signed up to the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action to ensure people with disabilities will benefit from development and humanitarian assistance.
DFID also works with implementing partners to improve disaggregation of beneficiary data by sex, age, disability status and geography wherever possible and relevant, including use of Washington Group questions on disability. Disaggregation helps DFID understand who is included and benefits from our development and humanitarian assistance.
The systematic inclusion of people with disabilities in development and humanitarian action is a top priority for the Department for International Development. On 24 July, the UK will co-host the Global Disability Summit to increase action and investment, lock-in progress and share best practice. The summit aims to drive forward a step change in global efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination against all persons with disabilities. This includes realising the rights of persons with disabilities that are often among the most excluded in society and those that experience “double discrimination”, including those living with HIV and members of the LGBT community. In line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the active participation of all people with disabilities will be at the very heart of the summit.
The UK’s global HIV response prioritises those left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. For example, we are proud to be a founding supporter of the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund, which supports the grassroots response for inadequately served groups including men who have sex with men and sex-workers.
The systematic inclusion of people with disabilities in development and humanitarian action is a top priority for the Department for International Development. On 24 July, the UK will co-host the Global Disability Summit to increase action and investment, lock-in progress and share best practice. The summit aims to drive forward a step change in global efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination against all persons with disabilities. This includes realising the rights of persons with disabilities that are often among the most excluded in society and those that experience “double discrimination”, including those living with HIV and members of the LGBT community. In line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the active participation of all people with disabilities will be at the very heart of the summit.
The UK’s global HIV response prioritises those left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. For example, we are proud to be a founding supporter of the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund, which supports the grassroots response for inadequately served groups including men who have sex with men and sex-workers.
The UK Government is the second largest Government supporter of research and development for new health products for infectious diseases. In August 2013, following an open competition, funding of £138 million (for the period 2013 -2018) was announced to support the development of a range of new health technologies, including: drugs, diagnostics, microbicides, vector control and vaccines for infectious diseases that predominantly affect developing countries, such as TB, HIV, malaria, sleeping sickness and diarrhoeal diseases. Additionally, DFID funds major trials of new methods of delivery of prevention alongside the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust, the World Health Organisation and others.
DFID works closely with others involved in product development research, including funders, to identify opportunities to address shortfalls in research funding.
DFID provided £38 million to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) in the period 1999 to 2008; and £40 million in the period 2008 to 2013. DFID has committed to providing £5 million to IAVI in the period 2013 -2018.
Officials meet regularly with franchisees, and at these meetings assistance for passengers at such times may be one of the discussion topics. Each operator is required to participate in the Passenger Assist system which allows passengers to book staff assistance when they require it, and we expect Southern to ensure that passengers receive that assistance when required at all times.
Holders of day tickets are able to claim compensation through the Delay Repay scheme. On 11 December we introduced Delay Repay 15 which applies to passengers with day single and return tickets as well as to season ticket holders. All passengers are able to claim 25% of the cost of the single fare for delays between 15 and 29 minutes. The existing compensation thresholds will apply for delays from 30 minutes with passengers able to apply for compensation through the train operating company. Delay Repay from 30 minutes is already one of the most generous compensation schemes in Europe.
DWP does not monitor or estimate the percentage of people using food banks.
We recognise the extremely valuable work of civil society in supporting local communities. Government officials and Ministers routinely meet with a range of civil society organisations, some of which may be connected to foodbanks.
DWP reforms are already making the benefits system simpler and helping claimants to move into work.
NHS England welcomes the Sofia Forum report into the needs of women with HIV. The report provides a summary of the findings of two studies aimed at understanding the needs of women living with or affected by HIV in the United Kingdom and a number of recommendations.
In order to meet the needs of women with HIV as identified in the report, NHS England is currently considering how they can address stigma, implementation of peer support and mental health in their HIV services and will take these recommendations for women into account. The report will be considered as part of the evidence base in any future reviews of the HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme.
In addition to routine data collection, detailed gender breakdowns will be routinely included as part of Public Health England’s HIV Official Statistics. Public Health England is piloting enhanced surveillance to better understand the circumstances associated with men and women acquiring HIV and the reasons for delays in testing for HIV among them.
The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, which makes female genital mutilation (FGM) a criminal offence, clearly sets out the medical circumstances in which it is not an offence to carry out a surgical operation on the labia majora, labia minora or clitoris: these circumstances are where the operation is carried out by an approved person (such as a medical professional) and is necessary for a woman or girl's physical or mental health or is for purposes connected with labour or birth. This surgery should not be undertaken within the National Health Service unless it is medically indicated.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) are clear in their guidelines, Female Genital Mutilation and its Management, published in July 2015, that “Female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) may be prohibited unless it is necessary for the patient’s physical or mental health. All surgeons who undertake FGCS must take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the FGM Acts.” A copy of the guidelines is attached. The RCOG also published an ethical opinion paper in relation to female genital cosmetic surgery in 2013, which provides background briefing on FGM and explores the ethical considerations in relation to FGCS around consent, minors and clinical evidence. A copy of the opinion paper, Ethical considerations in relation to female genital cosmetic surgery (FCGS), is attached.
NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:
- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;
- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.
In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.
Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.
PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.
The full action plan is attached.
NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:
- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;
- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.
In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.
Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.
PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.
The full action plan is attached.
NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:
- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;
- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.
In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.
Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.
PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.
The full action plan is attached.
The focus of the inquiry will be on establishing the truth of what happened.
Over the summer, the Government is consulting with those affected and key stakeholder groups to discuss the scope of the inquiry.
Data have been provided on the number of contacts with Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in England, from residents of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the last two years (2014-15 and 2015-16). Data are not available prior to this, as location of patient residence was not submitted by all providers.
NHS England does not hold data on the costs associated with these contacts. Attendances at genito-urinary medicine (GUM) services is collected separately through the GUMCAD data set. Data are not published in the format requested.
Contacts with Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in England, from residents of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.1
2014-2015 and 2015-2016
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1. The quality of this data is dependent on the location of residence submitted by providers.
Source: Sexual and Reproductive Health Activity Dataset, NHS Digital.
No assessment has been made. Local areas decide how to spend public health funding. Contraception is widely available from general practices, and sexual and reproductive health services and is free to all.
There is no requirement on local authorities to have cross-charging arrangements in place; this is a matter for local determination.
No estimate has been made of the number of local authorities that do not have cross-charging arrangements. Public Health England recently conducted a survey into the commissioning arrangements for sexual and reproductive health and HIV, including assessment of cross-charging arrangements.
There is no requirement on local authorities to have cross-charging arrangements in place; this is a matter for local determination.
No estimate has been made of the number of local authorities that do not have cross-charging arrangements. Public Health England recently conducted a survey into the commissioning arrangements for sexual and reproductive health and HIV, including assessment of cross-charging arrangements.
The Department’s A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (2013) sets out our ambitions to improve the sexual health of the whole population including ethnic minority communities. A copy of the Framework is attached.
In addition, Public Health England’s Health promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV: Strategic action plan, 2016 to 2019 highlights the sexual health inequalities within black African and black Caribbean communities that are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted infections in different ways. The document highlights that activities that promote condom use and address stigma and discrimination should be supported in both communities, but the primary focus of health promotion activities should differ. The priority should be to increase HIV testing among black African communities, and to promote condom use and reduce sexual risk behaviours among black Caribbean communities. A copy of the Strategic action plan is attached.
As part of the Public Health England (PHE) commissioned national HIV Prevention programme, a national social marketing campaign took place through National HIV Testing Week to raise awareness of the importance of HIV testing and opportunities to test in different settings. The campaign has specifically tailored its message to ethnic minority women at a higher risk for HIV acquisition. In addition, all women from black African backgrounds can access the national HIV self-sampling service. PHE is funding all requests for HIV self-sampling kits made through the national service until 8 January 2017.
The national HIV prevention programme is focused on at-risk populations including black Africans and other black and minority ethnic groups with a high or increasing burden of infection. In addition, in the first nine months of operation (November 2015 to September 2016) of the national HIV self-sampling service 35,347 kits were delivered of which 18,270 were returned. Of the returned kits, 19% (3,447) were returned by individuals who self-ascribed as being from black and minority ethnic communities. Of the returned kits, 56 gave a reactive result (1.6%), which was above the service average of 1.1%.
The HIV Innovation Fund is supporting a number of projects which focus on ethnic minority communities including tackling stigma and promoting testing.
As part of the Public Health England (PHE) commissioned national HIV Prevention programme, a national social marketing campaign took place through National HIV Testing Week to raise awareness of the importance of HIV testing and opportunities to test in different settings. The campaign has specifically tailored its message to ethnic minority women at a higher risk for HIV acquisition. In addition, all women from black African backgrounds can access the national HIV self-sampling service. PHE is funding all requests for HIV self-sampling kits made through the national service until 8 January 2017.
The national HIV prevention programme is focused on at-risk populations including black Africans and other black and minority ethnic groups with a high or increasing burden of infection. In addition, in the first nine months of operation (November 2015 to September 2016) of the national HIV self-sampling service 35,347 kits were delivered of which 18,270 were returned. Of the returned kits, 19% (3,447) were returned by individuals who self-ascribed as being from black and minority ethnic communities. Of the returned kits, 56 gave a reactive result (1.6%), which was above the service average of 1.1%.
The HIV Innovation Fund is supporting a number of projects which focus on ethnic minority communities including tackling stigma and promoting testing.
Local authorities are responsible for the commissioning of services to test and diagnose HIV. NHS England commissions treatment and care for those accessing HIV services from the point of HIV diagnosis onwards. Commissioners will take account of the British HIV Association standards, but these are not mandatory. Public Health England (PHE) has a comprehensive surveillance system that captures new HIV diagnoses and subsequent HIV care throughout the United Kingdom. These data are not only used to monitor the numbers living with HIV, but the quality of care received. This information directly informs the commissioning of HIV services which ensures data are complete and includes every individual in HIV care.
In the UK, PHE data demonstrate 97% of patients were linked to care within three months of diagnosis in 2015 and overall, 96% of people seen for HIV care received treatment with anti-retroviral therapy, and 94% of those treated achieved viral suppression. People with a suppressed viral load are extremely unlikely to pass on their infection. These data show that the benefits of early HIV testing are fully realised as the vast majority of people are rapidly linked to care, and effectively treated, so that they are no longer at risk from passing on their infection.
Local authorities are responsible for the commissioning of services to test and diagnose HIV. NHS England commissions treatment and care for those accessing HIV services from the point of HIV diagnosis onwards. Commissioners will take account of the British HIV Association standards, but these are not mandatory. Public Health England (PHE) has a comprehensive surveillance system that captures new HIV diagnoses and subsequent HIV care throughout the United Kingdom. These data are not only used to monitor the numbers living with HIV, but the quality of care received. This information directly informs the commissioning of HIV services which ensures data are complete and includes every individual in HIV care.
In the UK, PHE data demonstrate 97% of patients were linked to care within three months of diagnosis in 2015 and overall, 96% of people seen for HIV care received treatment with anti-retroviral therapy, and 94% of those treated achieved viral suppression. People with a suppressed viral load are extremely unlikely to pass on their infection. These data show that the benefits of early HIV testing are fully realised as the vast majority of people are rapidly linked to care, and effectively treated, so that they are no longer at risk from passing on their infection.
Health Education England has developed a number of e-learning sessions on Sexual Health and HIV across programmes designed for foundation trainees, general practitioners, dentists and radiologists, as well as specialists. The programmes cover topics such as HIV testing, the importance of early diagnosis and oral manifestations of HIV and AIDS. The content for these programmes is available to all National Health Service employees irrespective of their speciality.
The Department has funded the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health to produce resources to support non-specialist clinicians in primary and secondary care services to offer HIV testing to help reduce late diagnosis of HIV. This includes HIV Testing in Practice, an interactive web-based resource for primary care which went live in November 2014.
It is the responsibility of local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to commission appropriate services and for providers to ensure that their staff are appropriately trained to meet the needs of their local population.
The Government has also mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and workforce development in the National Health Service in England. In doing so, HEE has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.
Public Health England is working with the Department and other key stakeholders to develop a new public health workforce strategy that considers the needs of the whole public health workforce.
No such assessment has been made.
The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.
Local authorities are mandated to commission open access sexual health services and are accountable for their statutory duty to improve the public’s health. Public Health England (PHE) has a specific role in assurance of the ring-fenced grant and that local authorities are meeting the grant conditions and the terms of the associated statutory regulations. PHE publishes data on outcomes from services for each local authority in England and can provide support and advice where necessary.
Departmental and PHE officials meet regularly with stakeholders where open access to sexual health services is discussed.
Public Health England (PHE) and the Department provide a variety of tools and support in the form of guidance, data and direct advice to local PHE Centre staff. For example PHE supports local decision making by including data on sexual health spend and outcomes in the Spend and Outcomes Tool (SPOT) provided to local authorities. SPOT gives organisations in England an overview of spend and outcomes across key areas of business. The profile supports understanding of the overall relationship between spend and outcomes, by identifying areas of significant variance which are likely to require more in-depth analysis.
Public Health England (PHE) is committed to supporting the health system to provide appropriate contraceptive services. PHE, supported by the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), has undertaken a review of sexual health, reproductive health and HIV commissioning services. Currently, it is planned to publish the results of the survey in the autumn (September 2016). PHE is committed to continue to work with ADPH in order to improve sexual health outcomes using the findings from the survey, outcomes data and other relevant information.
Public Health England (PHE) undertakes a number of actions to limit the spread of gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections in populations most at risk of infection in England, which are outlined in PHE’s Strategic Action Plan for Health promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV. These activities are focused on (i) developing and providing high quality surveillance data to monitor rates of gonorrhoea and related antimicrobial resistance, (ii) producing national guidance and a service specification template to optimise infection detection, (iii) maintaining effective treatment by advising on national treatment guidelines, promoting good prescribing practice and updating national guidance on the management of gonorrhoea in primary care, (iv) leading the public health response to local and national outbreaks to control wider dissemination in the population (v) supporting high quality case and partner management by providing expert advice, (vi) improving prevention by raising awareness in professionals and affected communities through local and national campaigns, and (vii) co-leading research to improve the evidence base. A copy of the Strategic Action Plan is attached.
The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England sets out the need to increase access to all methods of contraception including long acting (LARC) methods and that better support is needed to access contraception after childbirth. Local authorities are mandated to provide access to the full range of contraception services and should work with clinical commissioning groups to ensure that contraception is discussed and all methods of contraception, including LARC, are accessible as part of the post-natal maternity pathway. Further guidance will be available in Public Health England’s Missed Opportunities in Pregnancy report. This addresses the missed opportunities for the provision of contraception along the maternity, abortion and early pregnancy loss pathways, and is now in the final stage of revisions and is expected to be published later in 2016.
NHS England has agreed to carefully consider their position on commissioning Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Planning continues on the early implementer tests sites in the meantime. Irrespective of the commissioning arrangements for PrEP, decisions to fund will depend on full assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness and how it can be integrated with other HIV prevention efforts.
The Government is investing £2.4 million in HIV prevention nationally and through this will fund a number of innovative local projects and set up a new HIV home sampling service - one of the first of its kind. National investment in home sampling has been significantly enhanced by local investment from local authorities.
NHS England has advised that it is not changing its commissioning policy in relation to post exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE). However, NHS England is aiming to produce guidance to clarify how contractual arrangement for PEPSE can work in sexual health services that are no longer provided by the National Health Service and or have no experience of prescribing of antiretroviral drugs to enable appropriate levels of monitoring for quality and safety. NHS England remains committed to reimbursement for the appropriate use of PEPSE.
NHS England has advised that it is not changing its commissioning policy in relation to post exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE). However, NHS England is aiming to produce guidance to clarify how contractual arrangement for PEPSE can work in sexual health services that are no longer provided by the National Health Service and or have no experience of prescribing of antiretroviral drugs to enable appropriate levels of monitoring for quality and safety. NHS England remains committed to reimbursement for the appropriate use of PEPSE.
The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England sets out the need to increase access to all methods of contraception including long acting (LARC) methods and that better support is needed to access contraception after childbirth. Local authorities are mandated to provide access to the full range of contraception services and should work with clinical commissioning groups to ensure that contraception is discussed and all methods of contraception, including LARC, are accessible as part of the post-natal maternity pathway. Further guidance will be available in Public Health England’s Missed Opportunities in Pregnancy report. This addresses the missed opportunities for the provision of contraception along the maternity, abortion and early pregnancy loss pathways, and is now in the final stage of revisions and is expected to be published later in 2016.
The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England sets out the need to increase access to all methods of contraception including long acting (LARC) methods and that better support is needed to access contraception after childbirth. Local authorities are mandated to provide access to the full range of contraception services and should work with clinical commissioning groups to ensure that contraception is discussed and all methods of contraception, including LARC, are accessible as part of the post-natal maternity pathway. Further guidance will be available in Public Health England’s Missed Opportunities in Pregnancy report. This addresses the missed opportunities for the provision of contraception along the maternity, abortion and early pregnancy loss pathways, and is now in the final stage of revisions and is expected to be published later in 2016.