Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to meet the needs of women with HIV as identified in the report Women and HIV: Invisible no longer published in April by the Sofia Forum and the Terence Higgins Trust.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance for all healthcare providers clarifying the circumstances under which procedures marketed as "female genital cosmetic surgery" may be necessary for a woman’s physical or mental health and therefore not banned under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to reduce vacancy levels of staff trained to fit very long-acting reversible contraceptives in (1) general practice, and (2) community sexual and reproductive health services.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to develop clear national guidance on cross-charging between local authorities for contraceptive services.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to ensure full and open access, regardless of user age or place of residence, to (1) all methods of contraception, and (2) very long-acting reversible contraceptives.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what assessment they have made of the impact of fragmented commissioning on the delivery of (1) all methods of contraception, and (2) very long-acting reversible contraceptives.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
Her Majesty's Government whether the findings of the 2009 independent report by Lord Archer of Sandwell on NHS supplied contaminated blood and blood products will be taken into account by the contaminated blood inquiry announced on 11 July.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reducing public health funding for contraception on the proposal to limit child tax credits to the first two children in a household.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of local authorities that have not developed cross-charging arrangements for the provision of sexual health services, as recommended in the report <i>Sexual Health Services: Key Principles for Cross Charging</i>, published in August 2013.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
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.
Asked by: Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of local authority cross-charging arrangements for sexual health services.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
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.