Are health boards on track to implement fully the recommendations of the sexual health review within the given timeframe?
A Sexual Health Improvement Plan was developed in response to the recommendations from the Review of Sexual Health Services. Actions from this have been competed or are in progress. I will ensure that Members receive a full progress update in due course.
In order to provide assurance that health boards are on track to implement the recommendations of the sexual health review, the Chief Medical Officer wrote to the health boards in March requesting an audit of their sexual health services against a national service specification, developed by Public Health Wales, along with the development of local improvement plans. The specification has been developed to encompass a model of integrated service delivery based on national policy, best practice, local health needs, and evidence based practice. It recognises that the primary contribution this service makes to overall sexual health is one of diagnosis, treatment of infection, and delivery of interventions to prevent unplanned pregnancy. The model aims to ensure the delivery of prudent, effective, high quality integrated sexual health care.
Health boards have been asked to consider whether their sexual health services meet the minimum standards in the specification and to audit their services using an audit tool developed specifically for that purpose. The audit tool will assist Welsh Government in gaining a better understanding of the improvements needed in sexual health services both at a local and an all Wales level, and where resources need to be targeted.
Health board audits are due to be completed by the end of June. The Sexual Health Programme Board will consider health board plans once received.