News

Brook calls for postal chlamydia testing kits

1 min read Health
A sexual health charity is calling for postal chlamydia testing kits to be made available nationally so screening targets can be met.

Last week it emerged that less than half of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England met a target to test 17 per cent of all 15- to 24-year-olds last year as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme.

The government-funded free scheme mainly directs young people to clinics or GP surgeries.

Simon Blake, chief executive at Brook, said young people are more likely to screen themselves if they can order a testing kit from a national website and have it discreetly delivered to their home.

Some regions offer this service already, although Blake said the quality differs from area to area.

"What we find from people who are in touch with us is that they don't know how to find out if they can order a kit locally.

"If you have one national system, with one national brand and a campaign attached to it, you would be able to reach many more young people."

Chlamydia is the most common sexual infection in the UK with more than 120,000 new cases diagnosed last year.

Young people account for around two-thirds of cases.

Posted under:


More like this