Sexual Health Services Essential For Brent - Teather

5.00.00pm GMT Fri 23rd Mar 2007

Sarah and local Lib Dem Councillors have met with NHS chiefs

Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East, Sarah Teather, has uncovered figures showing that Brent has one of the highest rates of underage pregnancy in London.

In the last year for which figures are available, over 50 girls under the age of 16 became pregnant in Brent. This represents a 40% increase since Labour came to power in 1997. Only Croydon, Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark recorded higher levels of underage conception.

Despite these figures, the tPCT are now planning to withdraw funding from sexual health services across Brent. The health trust also plan cuts to the number of school nurses working in the borough.

Sarah today met with NHS chiefs to raise these issues. She has pledged to continue standing up for local people in fighting cuts to essential services in Brent.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"The tPCT should recognise that underage pregnancy is a serious issue for families in Brent. Teenage pregnancy has a significant long term impact on young girls' lives, education and career options. Children of very young mothers are particularly likely to grow up in poverty.

"Services such as school nurses and advice clinics are essential. All too often young people learn about sexual health and contraception through playground gossip. By leaving advisory services vulnerable to cuts, the Government is storing up long term problems for our NHS and our communities.

"The cuts are a short term slash and burn policy which will have a devastating impact on vulnerable young people in Brent. I raised this matter when I met with health officials today, and will continue to pressurise the tPCT to think again."

"The Government need to make sure that good quality sex education is available to young people in schools. It's no good just talking about the mechanics of sex; young people need to be able to talk about relationships and feelings. That's the way to arm young people with the information they need to make informed decisions and resist peer pressure."

Notes:

Sarah Teather and Councillor David Clues met with Nigel Webb and Marcia Saunders, Chief Executive and Chair of Brent tPCT, to talk about local health cuts on Friday 23rd March.

Related Link:

Read the latest figures on underage pregnancy in London.