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NHS Health Scotland supports the implementation of the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework (external link)by continuation of projects in response to the HIV Action Plan, the continued strengthening of the WISH Network and a specific focus on SRE and Teenage Pregnancy.

NHS Health Scotland increases the capacity and competence to deliver the Framework by:

• supporting the Scottish Lead Clinicians for Sexual Health group and Scottish Sexual Health Promotion Specialists group and facilitating input into policy initiatives.
• updating the SHARE resource in light of new policy and legislation, for example the Rape and Sexual Offences Bill (external link) and the Curriculum for Excellence (external link).
• working with Education Scotland and The Scottish Government to produce a brief to strengthen implementation of the national toolkit on how to reduce teenage pregnancy (external link).
• mainstreaming sexual health in other programmes, for example on Gender Based Violence and the Walk the Talk initiative (external link)aimed at young people.

NHS Health Scotland delivers this activity founded on key national evidence including;

• the evaluation findings of Healthy Respect a national health demonstration project on young people’s sexual health.
• information Services Division’s Standards on HIV (external link Health Protection Scotland’s Annual Sexual Health Report (external link) and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland’s Standards on HIV (external link).

NHS Health Scotland disseminates evidence, learning and good practice by:

• offering free national and regional thematic events, monthly e-bulletins and evidence briefings through the WISH network.
• providing the Scottish commentaries on NICE guidance.
• sharing the evidence on effectiveness and mapping sexual health improvement interventions: in Scotland.
• sharing the findings from the review of primary school sex and relationships education.
• sharing the findings of the testing and evaluation of HIV Wake Up.

Finally, NHS Health Scotland also:

• provides a range of public and professional materials to promote sexual health, including patient leaflets on genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and vaginal health and to promote longer-lasting contraception. and increased awareness of HIV among MSM.
• Supports the Scottish Government policy team directly and through the governance structure which informs Ministerial Group for Sexual health and Blood Borne Viruses.

Reviewed 30 September 2011.