Lack of money 'puts sex health at risk'

PATIENTS seeking treatment for sexually transmitted diseases may in future have to pay for it. But the island's leading specialist is threatening to quit over the changes.

'I think the fact is that this goes against the basic requirements of a genito urinary clinic. Any equivalent of mine in the UK would never practise in this way,' said Dr Nick King, the leading specialist at the sexual health clinic, the Orchard Centre in St Martin's.

'Never when there is a public health epidemic should the clients face a disincentive to seek help, especially when many may not know that they have anything wrong with them.

'I understand the problems of funding but the way forward is not to evolve into a Third World service.

'The question is, "am I prepared to work in such a way that puts them at risk?". The answer is "no".'

The 106th annual Medical Officer of Health report for 2004/5 reveals that the Orchard Centre has seen a 544% increase in new clients, 260% rise in clients overall, 300% rise in Chlamydia cases, a trebling of gonorrhoea and a major increase in HIV prevalence in the last 10 years.

Sexual health clinic services are cuttently provided at the Orchard Centre by a GP surgery practice and are funded by a grant from the Health and Social Services Department.

Health and Social Services minister Peter Roffey said: 'That has increased far more readily in the last few years than funding in any other health area but I accept that it is not sufficient to keep pace with the workload.'

Dr King has already said that he is prepared to quit if more money is not made available. He says that this is best for the client and also most cost-effective.

Deputy Roffey stressed that the department did not directly employ Dr King.

'But personally I would be extremely disappointed to lose him from the sexual health service if he did go,' he said.

Deputy Roffey said that the department, given financial constraints, could not afford to continue increasing the grant.

He said that the Social Security Department had been approached to see if it would extend the £12

grant for seeing a GP to sexual health.

Deputy Roffey said that department officials had given a strong indication that the board would accept the changes only if patients made a co-payment.

Social Security minister Mary Lowe said that the letter from Deputy Roffey had arrived only a few days ago and it was yet to be discussed by the board.

Deputy Roffey said that any co-payment would be between £5 and £10, although the exact figure is yet to be decided.

He added that this would be for the primary care and not for the sort of secondary care that is associated with, for example, the on-going treatment of HIV.

But Dr King said that all genito urinary medicine is secondary.

Charging acted as a disincentive and therefore endangered health.

'Dr King feels very strongly that the service should be free and I think we all agree with him in an ideal world because we do not want anything to deter people from seeking help,' said Deputy Roffey.

But, he said, the reality was that the department had to balance all the interests within its remit and the proposed solution seemed the best way forward.