Inside the battle against super gonorrhoea in UK’s struggling STI services

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1. [Sexual health](https://inews.co.uk/topic/sexual-health?srsltid=AfmBOoqtsdsnFKm_gp6QOCxmGzVGvxMqxijOihyxsbdvgHpqQ2bJz1cI&ico=in-line_link) doctors have issued an urgent plea amid a rise in strains of antibiotic-resistant strains of gonorrhoea.

   Although numbers remain low at 14, there were more cases of this strain by May this year than in the whole of last year (13).

   The UK Health Security Agency statistics show that consultations at sexual health clinics reached 4.5 million in 2024, up from 2.9 million in 2013, prompting calls from council leaders for a long-term sexual health strategy.

   The latest [sexually transmitted infection](https://inews.co.uk/topic/sexually-transmitted-infections?srsltid=AfmBOorggYNR9msTl7YDxi3ymGY2vkX1C8kpQYHYwgmZP7hjA9lhKnTy&ico=in-line_link) data shows that while the total number of gonorrhoea cases fell from 85,370 in 2023 to 71,802 in 2024, there has been a rise in instances of gonorrhoea resistant to the most commonly used antibiotic for uncomplicated cases, ceftriaxone.

   Professor Matt Phillips, a consultant in genitourinary medicine and HIV in Cumbria and president of the [British Association For Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH)](https://inews.co.uk/news/health/life-sexual-health-doctor-2991378?srsltid=AfmBOorbgE7CRoS2sxsdp_jW0bnhuX2jeJZpH9NmCmjMWJT6s5k3A_2v&ico=in-line_link), told *The i Paper* that while there will be some form of antibiotic that responds to resistant gonorrhoea, the emergence of new strains “narrows the field of play”.

   “A few years back we were giving two tablets in the clinic, and then it had to change to another type of tablet, and then it had to change to injections. At the moment, we’re still in a place where for uncomplicated gonorrhoea, most cases will respond to a single injection. However, we’re seeing rising numbers of antibiotic resistance to that injection as well,” he said.

   “Whilst we have such wonderful people at the Health Security Agency looking at that and looking at changing resistance, we’re often a step ahead, but the desire is to be more than one step ahead.”

   # A perfect storm

   David Fothergill, chair of the Local Government Association (LGA)’s Community Wellbeing Board, told *The i Paper* of a “perfect storm” in sexual health services, with greater demand met with shrinking resources.

   “We’ve seen a growth of sexually transmitted infections,” with the rise of dating apps and reports of an increase in condomless sex, he said, “and also we’ve seen over the course of the last 10 years a cut of about £858m from our public health grant, which impacts the sexual health services we commission”.

   “I think we’re making good use of the money we do have because we’re clearly meeting increased demand, but so much more could be done,” Mr Forthergill said.

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