Surge in infections with Wigan having one of country's largest increases in rates of gonorrhoea

Over two-thirds of council areas have seen rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis rise since 2017, new analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) reveals.

Almost all (97 per cent) council areas had an increase in the diagnoses rate of gonorrhoea, with 10 local authorities seeing rates triple. The biggest increases were seen in Wigan, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Torbay.

Cases of syphilis have increased in 71 per cent of areas and more than a third (36 per cent) have seen more detections of chlamydia.

The LGA, which represent councils responsible for public health across England and Wales, is calling on the Government to provide extra funding, so sexual health clinics can meet rising demand and publish a long-term plan to help prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections.

It has analysed data collected by the Office of Health Disparities and published as a rate per 1,000 residents.

It also found demand for sexual health services has continued to grow, with nearly 4.5m consultations in 2022, up by a third since 2013.

In 2022, 2.2m diagnostic tests were carried out, a 13 per cent increase from the year before.

Although some of the rise has been attributed to increased diagnostic testing and improved access to services, the scale suggests a higher number of infections in the community.

While demand has risen, funding for these services has been reduced.

LGA analysis found that between 2015 and 2024, the public health grant received by councils was reduced in real terms by £880m (based on 2022/23 prices).

The LGA called on the Government to urgently publish 2024/25 public health grant allocations for councils which provide an increase in funding to cover these pressures.

Councils and sexual health commissioners are asking the Government to publish a new 10-year sexual and reproductive health strategy to help prevent and treat infections in the long-term.

Coun David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s community well-being board, said: “These statistics show that local sexual health services are grappling with unprecedented increases in demand. The Government needs to ensure sexual health funding is increased to levels which matches these stark increases.

“Councils have been working hard to encourage more people to access sexual health services and get tested more regularly to help improve detection rates and catch infections early.

“Investment in sexual health services helps to prevent longer term illness and unwanted pregnancies, reducing pressure on our NHS and improving the health of people across our communities.”

Dr Claire Dewsnap, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), said: “BASHH has repeatedly stressed that, without sufficient investment, sexual health service users will face severe challenges in their ability to access expert, timely care. On top of this, the impact of tendering processes has contributed to a lack of stability in the sexual health sector and a depletion of training which further jeopardises the quality and accessibility of services.

“This data not only demonstrates the deeply concerning trajectory of STI infection growth but also the need for a robust national strategy, backed up by adequate funding. As demand for care increases, without imminent action, we compromise our ability to safeguard the sexual health of our nation.”