President’s Blog – Professor Matt Phillips – September 2024
02 September 2024
(Last updated: 2 Sep 2024 13:33)
Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are all keeping well.
As the Labour Government marks its first 100 days in Westminster this month, BASHH continues to advocate for due focus on safeguarding sexual health and wellbeing in the UK. This week, I will be attending a drop-in event with Parliamentarians to improve understanding of sexual health provision, how services are funded and commissioned, and the rising demands and pressures we’re experiencing. It’s great to have this event arranged in the first week back from Parliamentary recess, so that we can engage with MPs – both old and new – and share BASHH’s Four Priorities for the New Government, which set out an ambitious vision to safeguard sexual health and wellbeing in the UK. We will also be taking these key messages to party conferences over the coming weeks.
Furthermore, many of you will be aware that Lord Darzi is currently undertaking an independent review into the performance of health and care services, ahead of the government developing and publishing a 10-year plan for health (with publication anticipated in Spring 2025). Last month, we submitted a formal consultation response on behalf of BASHH to inform the Darzi Review. The submission set out some of the key challenges sexual health services are facing, including growing demand, rising STI diagnoses, funding pressures and workforce needs. Drawing on member feedback to the recent clinical thermometer survey, the submission also shared insights on the 10-year decline in local government expenditure on sexual health services, the impact that changes in local commissioning approaches have had on local sexual health service delivery, rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis, and local workforce planning. We look forward to the publication of the full report later this month.
We all will be aware that mpox is back in the news, after the Clade Ib outbreak and the WHO Director-General declaring a public health emergency of international concern. We are working very closely with our colleagues at the UKHSA and BHIVA on preparedness should a case be detected in the UK, taking into consideration emerging evidence. The lessons we learnt from the 2022 outbreak are front and centre in our minds, although it’s important to be aware that cases may present differently now than in 2022. We are continuing to encourage vaccinations, which provide our best opportunity for prevention, for at risk groups. BASHH has established an internal mpox group to ensure we are as agile as possible, and are hosting weekly updates within our Bitesize sessions on Wednesdays, which are open to all BASHH and BHIVA members. Keep an eye out in your inboxes for specific joining details each week.
In other news, Sexual Health Week begins next week – a national campaign run by our friends at Brook to highlight the importance of prioritising good sexual health. This year, the theme is ‘Are you feeling it?’, recognising the inextricable links between mental health and sexual health. The campaign in particular focuses on the vital role that RSE plays in helping young people develop healthy minds, healthy attitudes to sex, as well as healthy bodies. There are a number of activities happening as part of Sexual Health Week, including webinars and partnerships, so do check out their website to get involved.
I’d like to close by again thanking those members who have reached out to express their interest in inviting their newly elected local MP to their sexual health service. As mentioned previously, these can be really good opportunities for Parliamentarians to get exposure to the breadth of quality sexual health care that we deliver day in, day out for their constituents – helping to put sexual health on the radar of potential advocates in Westminster. Please do contact us to understand next steps on this if you haven’t done so.
Yours as ever, please let me know if I can help you president@bashh.net
Matt
Professor Matt Phillips
BASHH President