Chlamydia screening targets smashed (From Chorley Citizen)

Chlamydia screening targets smashed

1:15pm Wednesday 1st July 2009

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A drive to encourage young people to be tested for chlamydia has been hailed a massive success, with targets being surpassed in Chorley.

NHS Central Lancashire was challenged to screen 17 per cent of sexually active people between 15 and 24 between April 2008 and March 2009 – more than 10,000 tests.

The primary care trust meet these targets but with 22.6 per cnet (13,844 tests) of sexually active young people being screened.

Carolyn Blythe, NHS Central Lancashire chlamydia screening programme co-ordinator, said: “To not only reach the target but exceed it is fantastic and down to the hard work of all our staff.

“This is an important programme, promoting healthy and safe relationships between young people, and encouraging young people to take responsibility for their sexual health.

“I hope that this screening programme becomes part of any sexually active young person’s normal health routine. It is important for both males and females to get checked out as untreated this sexually transmitted infection can eventually lead to infertility.

“Our outreach team also provide screening and offer information, where appropriate, at University of Central Lancashire, Edge Hill University, local colleges and schools. NHS Central Lancashire will also be working to increase access to chlamydia testing across a wider range of settings during the next year.

“Young people can also request self testing kits on-line at www.best2know.co.uk or by texting the word BEST to 82540 (texts are charged at standard network rates). They will then receive a response asking them to reply with their postcode, name and address, and a test kit will be then sent to their home address.”

In the UK, the number of newly diagnosed cases of chlamydia have been steadily increasing each year since the mid-1990s and it is now the most commonly diagnosed STI.

As chlamydia sometimes has no symptoms it can often go undiagnosed, unless it leads to complications. However, once the infection has been diagnosed, it is treatable.

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