THE number of sexually transmitted infections in Oxford has increased year on year according to the most recent figures from Public Health England (PHE).

The number of people diagnosed with chlamydia rose slightly between 2016 and 2017, while rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis jumped significantly.

However, the number of young people (between the age of 15 to 24) being tested for chlamydia has fallen drastically over the last four years.

And while the county as a whole mirrors national rates of STIs, prevalence within Oxford city remains way higher than the average for England.

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Consultant in public health at Oxfordshire County Council, Eunan O’Neill, said: “Overall STI levels in the county perform well in comparison to other areas in the South East and nationally.

“Since the integration of family planning and sexually transmitted infection services in 2014 we have seen a continued increase in access to services and a decrease in the number of new diagnoses of STI.

“The city, with its diverse and large young population, presents a different challenge which is being met by services.

“Commissioners have plans to continue with services which meet the changing picture, including improving access through self-testing options.

“We would urge anyone who regularly has different sexual partners to have regular testing and to practice safe sex.”

After witnessing a drop in the number of chlamydia cases between 2012 and 2015, the number is now once again on the rise.

According to PHE figures, in 2017 there were 767 cases of the most common STI, chlamydia, diagnosed in Oxford - an increase from 764 in 2016, and 733 in 2015.

The 2017 figure equates to a rate of 494 cases per 100,000 population, compared to 361 per 100,000 across England.

However, the proportion of 15 to 24-year-olds being tested for chlamydia in Oxford fell from 42.7 per cent in 2013 to 20 per cent in 2017.

The number of cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed in Oxford in 2017 rose from 118 in 2016 to 137 in 2017 – this is however lower than 2015 when there was a significant spike in the number of those diagnosed.

Gonorrhoea is used as a marker for rates of unsafe sexual activity because the majority of cases are diagnosed in sexual health clinics, and consequently the number of cases may be a measure of access to sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment.

Syphilis cases also rose from 5.8 per 100,000 people to 7.1.

The rate of genital warts in Oxford declined however from 275 (177.1 per 100,000 people) to 266 (171.3 per 100,000 people).

The number is still way above the national average at 103.9 cases per 100,000 people.

Figures this month revealed that Oxford had the highest number of cases in the country. out of the NHS trusts that responded.

Despite the decline in chlamydia screenings in Oxford, the total number of visits to sexual health clinics across the country increased between 2013 and 2017 from 2.9million to 3.3million.

Local government leaders have said the rise has come at the same time as cuts to funding for councils’ vital public health services, meaning longer waiting times and a reduced quality of service.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, has today urged the government to reverse £600 million in public health cuts to help councils meet rising demand for sexual health services.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “While it’s great to see a huge increase in people taking their sexual health seriously, this rising demand is pushing some councils’ sexual health services to peak capacity levels which are not sustainable in the long-term.

“With capacity and resources already being stretched to the limit, clinics are reporting an increase in the number of lengthy delays and people having to be turned away as appointments are fully booked.

“Demand for sexual health services has risen successively for the past five years and there is a real risk of waiting times increasing and patient experience deteriorating.

“Cuts to public health funding need to be reversed as this could affect councils’ ability to meet further increases in demand and respond to unforeseen outbreaks of sexually transmitted infections.

“While it’s good news that diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections have fallen, it will be hard to maintain this progress with some sexual health services at breaking point.”