Welcome to the November edition of the 4TS Exeter is one of the UK’s teenage pregnancy
newsletter about what is going on in the field of
"hotspots", but a GP-run sexual health clinic at an
Exeter city secondary school is making sure that pupils find it as easy as possible to get help and
November has turned out to be a fantastic month
so far and we are only half way through it. I am
Technology Col ege is just one of a raft of
delighted to report that the Oldham Community
measures introduced by Devon's Primary Care
Health Services (OCHS) Playing Safely Project that
Trust to reduce teenage pregnancies.
4 Thought Solutions has been involved with has
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/City-
educational / screening session for a premier
pregnancy/article-444983-detail/article.html
league club. The lads were very interested in al we had to tel them about sexual health issues and
Last month the newsletter reported that the 2008
willing ‘peed in the pot’ before disappearing to start
funding for Sexual Assault Referral Centres
their mornings training routines. We look forward to
(SARC) had opened this closed on the 7th of
meeting more of the premier league players in the
sometime in December. http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/sexua
Another great piece of news was the securing of
the contract as sexual health training provider for
the Wirral Region. It is a positive move to assist
A new centre is due to open in Gloucester to help
staff to address the young peoples need for sexual
victims of sexual assault and rape. Hope House
health and contraceptive advice across the region,
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) wil provide
in an effort to stem the rising teenage pregnancy
a place where victims can receive medical care,
Washington Post on the 3rd November mention a
report by the Rand Corporation that discussed the
be the only SARC centre attached to a hospital, but
"prospective link" between the amount of sex teens
plans are going ahead (slowly) for a SARC centre
watch on television and the likelihood that they wil
in Cheshire, attached to Leighton Hospital’s Sexual
experience a pregnancy. There was a fol ow up
article in the guardian on the 15th November. The study suggests that teenagers who are exposed to
Leeds Skyline Service - BHA's latest initiative; the
high levels of sexual content on television were
Leeds Skyline Service, provides support for al
twice as likely to experience a pregnancy within the
people, families and carers living in Leeds who are
three-year period of the study as those with lower
levels of exposure to such content. No previous
study has ever associated teenage pregnancy with
sexual content on television. The ful guardian article article can be accessed at
Young Black Peerspectives - Young Black
Peerspectives (formerly the Young Black People’s
Peer Education Project) have been working with
Original article in the Washington Post at
people aged 13-25 in inner city Manchester,
Trafford and Salford since 1999. Why not come
and visit our drop-in at the Kath Locke Centre in Hulme? Every day 10-12 and 4:30-5:30 for sexual
health advice and information including FREE
condoms, pregnancy testing, and testing for
Manchester action on Street Health (MASH) has
happiness." City Health Secretary Armando Ahued
said the government wil start handing out doses of
one or two Viagra, Levitra or Cialis pil s on December 1. They wil be distributed at three
It appears that Britain continues to face a serious
centres that specialise in sexual health for the
shortage of sperm donors. The shortage began
elderly. The men will receive medical examinations before receiving the pil s.
when the Law changed in 2005 preventing anonymous donations. This law enables children too legal y trace their biological parents when they
If you did not read earlier this year then have a
are 18. The prospect of these children suddenly
read of an interesting survey. Those involved in the
turning up appears to be the main reason why men
survey states that - "The findings from this survey
are no longer wil ing to donate. There are cal s for
signal that while we may be living at a time when
more ‘sperm sharing schemes’. As a minimum of
women have many contraceptive options, and are
500 new donors are required each year to meet
empowered to make their own informed decisions,
many are either dissatisfied with or have concerns
about their method," Have a think about where this
leaves us as contraceptve parctitioners.
An Americanpositive man living in Germany
appears to be free of HIV infection, almost two years after undergoing a bone marrow transplant
New Resources On-line
for Leukaemia. The bone marrow used in the transplant was from a donor who had a natural
genetic resistance to the Aids virus. HIV has no
ree Online Access to Sage Publications – until
cure but cocktails of drugs can keep the virus
suppressed. Research shows the virus never disappears but lurks in so-cal ed reservoirs
On 23 October 2008, the DCSF published the
report on the delivery of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in schools, and the Government
response to the report. For more information, and
It is not just teenagers who need to use condoms -
University Col ege London researchers surveyed
he Drug and Alcohol Education review - This
over 11,000 men and women about their condom
review has been running in paral el with the review
use in the previous 12 months. It turns out that just
38% of men and 28% of women aged 35-44 used a
condom the first time they had sex with a new
partner. In comparison to the almost 70% of 16-19 year-olds. Opps guess the adults do not practice
The Tel Us3 survey is a survey of children and
what they preach. (no surprise there). The authors
young people across England, asking their views
said the study findings were of 'great concern' and
about their local area, and including questions
that condom use and health promotion messages
which covered the five Every Child Matters
need target al age groups, not just young people.
outcomes. The survey was carried out in Spring 2008. A sample of schools was selected within each local authority, representing the different
http://www.nursingtimes.net/clinicalnews/2008/11/it
types of schools in each area. The schools were
s_not_just_teenagers_who_need_to_use_condom
then provided with guidance detailing how to
select pupils to take part in the survey.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-
Viagra offered to pensioners - Mexico City
is giving out free Viagra and other impotence drugs
to men aged 70 and older. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said the city is implementing the plan because sexuality "has a lot to do with quality of life and our
Pivotal Study Evaluating Efficacy of GARDASIL in Males in Preventing HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18-Related Previously Listed Events November Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) The 25th November 2008 - Awareness Day/Launch of the
National FGM Action Plan for UK. For further
he recent symposium ‘ A game of two halves’
information and to book a place please contact - Dr
brought together a number of passionate speakers
who are involved in health programmes linked to
Specialist – Comfort.Momoh@gstt.nhs.uk
sports stadiums. The topics presented included
healthy eating, mental health and sexual health. The Federation of Stadia Communities, Men’s
University and College Union - Becoming or
Health Forum, Oldham’s Community Health Services and Manchester City were the key
Unbecoming Friday 28th November 2008 –
organiser and we the delegates were able in the
One-day conference for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
afternoon to participate in the development of a
Transgendered (LGBT) for those conducting
strategy to move men’s health issue forward. While
research on LGBT issues To register for the
the conference room at Man City provided
conference, please request a registration form from
delegates with a wonderful view of the pitch,
orthcoming Events 8th December 2008, London - Supporting Teenage January - National Conference on Health Care
Parents, 3rd Annual Conference from Capita. This
Associated Infections – Everybody's Role,
conference is a forum to share good practice and
everybody's responsibility! 3rd annual conference
identify achievable improvements to services for
14th January 2009 Majestic Hotel, Harrogate. Only
teenage parents and their children. With an agenda
developed with practitioners in mind, you will
benefit from expert led sessions and peer guidance on the wide-ranging support needs of teenage parents.
This newsletter is for you if you have any
questions, research or audits you would like
assistance with or if you would like to contribute news items, event listings, vacant positions, items
9th December 2008, London - Improving the
of interest then please email any contributions
health and wellbeing of teenage parents - This half-
day briefing from Capita focuses on the health and
wel being support needs of teenage parents and approaches which can yield real results in
4 Thought Solutions takes no responsibility for the
improving outcomes. Focusing on core issues, a
accuracy of news or information contained in this
series of practical sessions wil provide delegates
newsletter about what is happening in relation to
with guidance and expertise on identifying and
sexual health matters especial y when sourced
meeting health needs and improving multi-agency
from external organisations and news agencies. Al
opinions expressed are those of the original
authors and do not necessarily represent the views
of 4 Thought Solutions. The listing of the original sources, when available, wil al ow you to access
The Capita website list a lot of conferences this is a
the original information or ful article.
If you who do not wish to receive further copies,
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR UNDERTREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS: WHO SHOULD RECEIVE AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM? To the Editor: There is an increased prevalence of cardio-vascular disease and its associated risk factors such as hy-pertension in older African Americans and probably otherethnic groups as well.1,2 Several factors likely contribute tothis increas
Medical Coverage Insurance 3dsense Media School has engaged Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd as our appointed insurance group. The Council for Private Education (CPE) has stipulated that all students of any Private Education Institute (i.e. 3dsense Media School) have compulsory medical insurance coverage for hospitalization and related medical treatment for the entire course durati