Richmond Sexual Health Strategy

Overview

The 2019 – 2024 Draft Sexual Health Strategy sets out the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames’s and NHS Richmond Clinical Commissioning Group’s priorities and approach to improving sexual health locally.

Sexual health is an important area of public health as it affects many facets of life and is an integral part of overall health and wellbeing. Moreover, poor sexual health can negatively affect the health and wellbeing of individuals and impacts on society as a whole.

The key aim of the draft sexual health strategy is to improve the sexual health of the whole population, and have the greatest impact on vulnerable population groups, who are disproportionately experiencing health inequalities.

As such, the draft strategy identifies actions that can be taken locally to improve sexual health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and promote good sexual health in Richmond and focuses on actions related to prevention, awareness, inequalities, and primary care.

Stakeholder engagement has been vital to the development of this draft strategy and the associated action plan. Engagement has included:

• Ongoing engagement with our current providers and partners
• A workshop in June 2018 with key stakeholders and organisations to agree on the strategic priorities and develop the actions for the action plan (participants invited included public health, commissioners, children's services, school nursing, staff from the Youth Council, service providers and the voluntary sector)
• A survey distributed in June 2018 to key clinical services including GPs, community pharmacists and school nurses to gain input on the draft strategy and priorities from front-line staff
• Youth participation workshops held in June 2018 with both Richmond Youth Council and Children in Care Council to gain their views

At every stage of the engagement feedback was taken on board and the strategy and the action plan amended accordingly. Through stakeholder engagement and the findings of the Sexual Health Needs Assessment (SHNA) undertaken in 2018, five proposed priorities were identified. These priorities are in line with the National Framework for Sexual Health Improvement.

The five strategic priorities are:

1. Reduce sexually transmitted infection (STIs) rates with targeted interventions for at risk groups
2. Reduce unintended pregnancies
3. Continue to reduce under 18 conceptions
4. Work towards eliminating late diagnosis and onward transmission of HIV
5. Promote healthy sexual behaviour and reduce risky behaviour

The priorities are informed by local need, what people have told us, and reflect national strategic direction. The draft strategy action plan shows the actions we intend to take to achieve the identified priorities.

Why we are consulting?

We would like to know your views on the priorities and actions listed in the strategy. When the consultation closes in November the sexual health strategy steering group will review and update the strategy, to reflect the consultation responses.

Have your say

Before completing the survey, please read the draft Richmond Sexual Health Strategy document attached at the bottom of the page. Also attached at the bottom of the page is the Equality Impact and Needs Analysis (EINA) for this consultation, the Richmond Sexual Health Needs Assessment, as well as the Strategy Action Plan.

You can access the online survey below, but if you would like a paper copy, please contact us at consultation@richmond.gov.uk

Please be advised that the consultation closes on Thursday 8th November 2018.