Website helps to send safe sex message to over-50s

HEALTH professionals in Sheffield are seeing an increasing number of people aged over 50 with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it was revealed yesterday.

NHS Sheffield is set to launch a website focusing on STIs on Monday, to coincide with the beginning of the Family Planning Association’s sexual health awareness week.

Alicia Gilpin, sexual health lead at NHS Sheffield, said the website would be especially useful for those aged over 50 in the city, who are becoming increasingly likely to contract an STI.

She said: “The website is aimed at everybody across the city, regardless of age, gender, race and sexuality, and is representative of the services that are provided across the city.

“Recently we have seen a rise in the number of STIs contracted by the over-50s. Lots of people over 50 are coming out of relationships and dating again and many are finding new love at this point in their lives.

“The problem is that many people don’t think safer sex applies to them, if they have been in a long term relationship, safe sex may be something they haven’t had to think about for years.”

The new website, which can be found at www.sheffieldsexualhealth.nhs.uk, aims to act as a “one-stop shop” to answer questions on sexual health and help people find the services they need.

It offers a postcode search facility for people to find their nearest clinics, advice on contraception, order forms for home testing kits for Chlamydia and advice for common problems and questions.

A spokesman for NHS Sheffield added: “As part of the awareness week this year the Family Planning Association are putting a special focus on the over 50s and NHS Sheffield wants to make sure that this group also know what services and advice is available for them too.”

Figures released at the end of August showed that almost half a million new cases of STIs were diagnosed in the UK last year.