Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the disproportionally high rates of STI diagnoses among people of Black Caribbean heritage.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely collects data to understand the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the communities most impacted by STIs, conducts research to understand the drivers for the higher rates of STIs in some Black communities, then translates these findings into resources for local partners to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of Black communities.

In 2021, UKHSA co-produced a resource with third-sector partners to support commissioners and providers in developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-sexual-health-and-wellbeing-of-people-from-a-black-caribbean-background-an-evidence-based-resource

This was based on the translation of findings of research conducted through the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit on blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections available at the following link:

https://bbsti.hpru.nihr.ac.uk/our-research/research-themes