The warning was made in the annual report of the Teenage PregnancyIndependent Advisory Group, which monitors and advises the Government onthe teenage pregnancy strategy. It adds to mounting concern that most ofthe 300m set aside for sexual health under the public healthwhite paper Choosing Health is being siphoned off to pay off healthtrusts' debts.
The group conducted a survey of England's teenage pregnancyco-ordinators.
Gill Frances, the group's chair, said she was "extremely concerned" bythe survey's findings. A significant number warned of closures, cuts andfreezes to young people's confidential advisory and contraceptionadvisory services.
As a result, teenagers were instead being told to visit their GP fromwhom young people were less likely to seek help, she said. "Not allyoung people feel confident going to see their GPs and not all GPs feelthat confident working with young people."
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