A report by an independent parliamentary group has warned of "patchy" provision of sexual health care on the NHS across the country.
The government-funded report, which was written by the Medical Foundation for Aids and Sexual Health for the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health, found "differences in basic level of care that people should be able to expect".
Co-author Ruth Lowbury commented: "There are examples of really wonderful practice by family doctors.
"But there are some GPs, we have heard, who haven't really been interested in engaging with sexual health".
The report calls for improvements in the provision of sexual health care by family doctors, noting that the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and abortions has increased.
Experts have also called for more education on contraception and STIs, as well as a wider range of contraceptive methods.
However, public health minister Dawn Primarolo told the GPs' magazine Pulse that the government regards sexual health as a "key priority".
© Adfero Ltd
Sexual health news : 29/07/08
