Background and policy information
This page gives details of the background to Health Scotland's Sexual Health and Well-being programme and the policies and evidence that are driving it.
As well as being represented on the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee, Health Scotland supports the ongoing implementation of Respect and Responsibility – the Scottish Executive's strategy on improving sexual health and well-being of the people of Scotland.
Quick links on this page:
Respect and Responsibility – Strategy and Action Plan for Improving Sexual Health
Respect and Responsibility Sexual Health Strategy Annual Report (November 2006)
Draft Sexual Health and Relationships Strategy
The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee (NSHAC)
Sex and Relationships Education
The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005
Respect and Responsibility – Strategy and Action Plan for Improving Sexual Health
Launched in January 2005, Respect and Responsibility outlines the actions that need to be in place so that improvements in sexual health can be realised in Scotland. Three key areas form the focus of action:
- Improving the quality, range and consistency, accessibility and cohesion of sexual health services from primary care through to specialist GUM services, in line with the principles of providing services that are safe, local and appropriate
- Supporting everyone in Scotland, including those who face discrimination due to their life circumstances or their gender, race or ethnicity, religion or faith, sexual orientation, disability or age, to acquire and maintain the knowledge, skills and values necessary for good sexual health and well-being
- To positively influence the cultural and social factors that impact on their sexual health.
To find out more, and to access key policy documents, related responses and analyses for Respect and Responsibility, follow the links below:
Respect and Responsibility – Strategy and Action Plan For Improving Sexual Health (external link).
Respect and Responsibility Sexual Health Strategy Annual Report (November 2006)
Draft Sexual Health and Relationships Strategy
Prior to the publication of Respect and Responsibility, an expert reference group drew together proposals on how best to address the sexual health issues facing Scotland.
Proposals for a Sexual Health and Relationships Strategy for Scotland (external link)
Also of interest will be the supporting evidence papers that underpinned both the draft strategy and the final publication, Respect and Responsibility:
Paper 1: Sexual Health In Scotland: Attitudes, lifestyles and the changing epidemiology of pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted infections (external link)
Paper 2: The wider factors influencing sexual health and well-being (external link)
Paper 3: Promoting positive sexual health through the media and mass communications (external link)
Paper 4: Sexual health and relationships education for young people (external link)
Paper 4 appendix: Sex Education in Scottish Schools: A Summary of National Guidance (external link)
Paper 5a: An integrated tiered service approach (external link)
Paper 5b: Supporting access to clinical services and reaching those in need of services (external link)
Paper 5c: Minimising unintended pregnancy and managing sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) (external link)
Paper 6: Supporting change (external link)
After the end of the consultation period, the submissions received were collated and analysed. Here are the results of that analysis:
Scottish Executive Response to Recommendations in the Draft Sexual Health Strategy (external link)
The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee (NSHAC)
The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee is chaired by the Minister for Health and Community Care, Andy Kerr. It has a wide-ranging membership including representatives of faith groups, voluntary sector, professional bodies and parents. The work is being taken forward through a series of subgroups.
The committee last met on 26 June 2006. Discussion focused primarily around the development of a more comprehensive data collection structure and the outline responses from NHS boards and their partners on their progress in implementing the national sexual health strategy. Healthy Respect gave a presentation on its activities, including the joint work with the Scottish Catholic Education Service.
Further summaries of the work of the committee can be found in the WISH newsletters for Winter 2005 and Spring 2006.
The committee will next meet on 20 October, 2006.
Respect and Responsibility website
This website includes links to local sexual health strategies developed by NHS boards and their partners. The site also contains information on the workshops, which were organised with clinical service leads and commissioners of sexual health as well as the notes of the meetings of the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee.
Visit the Scottish Executive Improving Health – Sexual Health website (external link)
Actions
The NSHAC has agreed how the actions given to the committee will be taken forward. For a list of these actions together with details of the lead committee members, please see the following document:
A number of these actions are being progressed through working groups – if you (or your colleagues/organisation) would like to contribute to these actions or want more information, please contact the individual committee leads (see the above download for contact details).
Sex and Relationships Education (SRE)
Whilst school-based sex and relationships education is not compulsory, education remains a key element of efforts to improve sexual health and well-being.
A number of documents that support its implementation in Scotland can be accessed from the following links:
The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005
For further information on this Bill, which became law on 1 September 2005, please consult the The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005 webpage (external link).