Latest statistics from Public Health England (PHE) show that a case of chlamydia or gonorrhoea is diagnosed in a young person every 4 minutes in England. There were over 144,000 diagnoses of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in people aged 15 to 24 in 2017.

PHE’s ‘Protect Against STIs’ campaign highlights the increased likelihood of contracting a life-changing STI if people have sex without a condom. The impact of having an STI is significant, particularly if left untreated as they can cause major health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, swollen or painful testicles, and reactive arthritis. In pregnant women, STIs can lead to higher risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.

The majority of STIs (like chlamydia) are symptomless, and gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and at risk of becoming untreatable in the future. PHE’s campaign, therefore, encourages condom use, as prevention is better than cure.

Rates of STIs in England remain high across England, and there has been a significant year-on-year increase in certain cases like gonorrhoea (22% increase from 2016 to 2017).

In 2017, there were approximately 420,000 diagnoses of STIs in England and of those, chlamydia accounted for nearly half of them (200,000 diagnosis of chlamydia and over 44,000 diagnoses of gonorrhoea).

A large proportion of these STI diagnoses are amongst young people aged 15 to 24, who account for 63% of chlamydia diagnoses and 37% of gonorrhoea diagnoses.

In a bid to get the nation’s young adults talking about and having safe sex, TV personality Sam Thompson (who appears in Made in Chelsea and Celebs Go Dating) hits the streets to find out young people’s attitudes to sexual health and condom use.

In the first of 2 new films, Sam Thompson and Dr Sara Kayat visit a Further Education College to speak to young people about how much they know about sexual health.

Sam then heads to Warwick with Dr Joe Peterson Camp, to meet a number of students to talk to them about their own experiences of sexual health and uncover their attitude towards condoms.

Dr Hamish Mohammed, Consultant STI Scientist at Public Health England, said:

Young people are more likely to be diagnosed with an STI than people aged 25 and older. STIs present a real threat to young people, and without using condoms, young people are putting themselves and their partners at risk of getting an STI.

Sam Thompson said:

I’m on a mission to encourage young people across the country to use condoms, with the help of Dr Sara and Dr Joe. We’re not talking about safe sex or normalising the use of condoms enough, and finding out all the facts about STIs has taught me so much, which I want to let everyone know about too, so we can limit the spread of STIs.

The most shocking thing I’ve learned is that some STIs are symptomless and that some are actually becoming harder to treat – that’s scary. The best thing I’ve learned is that if you’re under the age of 25, you can get condoms for free by just looking online for a free condom finder; I’m spreading that message far and wide.

There’s really no excuse for people not to use condoms and we should all feel empowered to use them and to see condoms as a normal part of a healthy sex life.

TV Doctor and GP, Dr Sara Kayat, said:

Rates of STIs remain high in young people, and we want to make sure people know that the best way to protect themselves from getting an STI, is to use a condom.

Often STIs don’t have any symptoms, with 4 in 10 cases of chlamydia in women and around half of the cases in men symptomless, and they can have serious consequences.

You can easily contract an STI or pass one on without even knowing it, so – as I tell my patients – make sure you use a condom.

The campaign launches on 25 October with a nationwide social media, digital audio, Out of Home advertising & PR campaign targeted at 16 to 24 year olds. It is being supported by a range of partners, including the Family Planning Association (FPA) and British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).

1. The films created by Sam Thompson, along with campaign advertising and images can be downloaded here.
2. Dr Joe Peterson Camp is a doctor at Homerton Hospital in its Sexual Health and HIV Service.
3. Dr Sara Kayat is a GP at Grays Inn Road Medical Practice. Her main areas of expertise are Sexual and Reproductive Health, as well as surgical specialties like ENT and Orthopaedics.
4. The FPA is supporting the ‘Protect against STIs’ campaign by helping to deliver sexual health information and support to key audiences via their Sexwise website.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has today (25 October) launched a £60,000 fund to develop and test pollinator habitat mapping – identifying where new habitats will provide the greatest benefit for bees and other pollinators.

This will help to boost the number of pollinator-friendly landscapes and protect the health of our bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths and hoverflies, as set out in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

These species are critical to our countryside and the food industry through the work they do to pollinate plants and crops.

The project will involve partnering with organisations such as Natural England, Buglife, The Wildlife Trusts and other bodies working on habitat mapping and the conservation of pollinators.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:

Bees and other pollinators are vital contributors to the beauty of our landscapes, our economy and our £100 billion food industry.

Today’s announcement to fund pollinator mapping shows our clear commitment to help these wonderful creatures to thrive by creating wildflower rich areas around our towns and countryside.

Ben Bradley MP has run a brilliant campaign to better protect our pollinators and to leave our environment in a better state for future generations. He deserves all our thanks.

The government is also announcing today investment in two projects to create pollinator-friendly landscapes:

• The Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s “West Country Buzz” project in North Devon which seeks to grow a partnership of land managers, farmers and NGOs to improve and connect habitats for bees.
• The Martin Down farmer “Super Cluster” in Hampshire, led by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, farmers and landowners. This will provide training and advice to enable three farmer clusters to protect and enhance wildlife, including pollinators.

The value of the UK’s 1,500 species of pollinators to crops is estimated to be £400 – 680 million per year due to improved productivity. Past losses of flower-rich habitats are known to have driven a loss of diversity in our pollinators, which is why this funding is vital to help protect their future.

Ben Bradley MP, who has been campaigning on pollinator habitat mapping, said:

I am pleased that the government is taking action to support pollinators and that they have incorporated ideas from my Pollinator Bill within their plans. Providing funding for pollinator mapping and supporting the creation of wildflower rich habitat will help protect our bees and other insects including butterflies and moths.

This announcement is great news for our environment, and it shows the Secretary of State’s commitment to protecting our pollinators and the Government’s commitment to a greener future.

Craig Macadam, Conservation Director at Buglife, said:

Buglife welcomes the funding promised by the Environment Secretary as a great first step towards securing the future of our precious pollinators.

Once mapping is completed more resource will clearly be needed to deliver the on-the-ground change that is needed. Coupled with the ban on neonicotinoids this is real affirmative action in the battle to arrest the decline of bees and other pollinators and preserve the buzz of life.

Joan Edwards, Director of Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, says:

The investment in spatial planning to support our pollinators is a welcome start in the essential exercise of mapping the nature we have – and the nature we need. We need to see this approach scaled-up across the country and for all of our wildlife to give our natural world a chance to recover and to make sure that everyone benefits from a thriving environment.

In April 2018, the government voted in favour of further restrictions on the use of three neonicotinoids due to their harmful effects on bees and other pollinators. The measures will come into force at the end of the year.

The National Pollinator Strategy is a 10 year plan which sets out how government, beekeepers, conservation groups, farmers and researchers can work together to improve the status of the pollinating insects in England.

The government has also committed to bringing forward the first Environment Bill in over 20 years, set to be introduced in 2019.

Welsh engineering has the ability to revolutionise the economy and provide young people with the skills to succeed in a modern world, the Secretary of State for Wales will say today as he meets representatives from Miskin-based engineering company Renishaw (Thursday 25 October).

The global company, which has 80 offices in 36 countries, specialises in precision measurement and healthcare, supplying products and services used in applications as diverse as jet engine and wind turbine manufacture, through to dentistry and brain surgery.

The Miskin site employs over 400 staff, including apprentices studying towards STEM qualifications. Mr Cairns will tour the facility, which specialises in precision manufacturing and metal 3D printing, as well as Renishaw’s Healthcare Centre of Excellence, which includes the production of dental structures and implants for facial reconstruction.

The Welsh Secretary will also hear first-hand how Renishaw is preparing young people for a career in engineering when he meets Stephen Pickles, Process Development Technician and Apprentice of the Year for Wales at the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru in 2017.

The visit comes during the UK Government’s Year of Engineering campaign, celebrating the world and wonder of engineering with the aim of boosting engineering in every part of the UK, ensuring everyone has the skills needed to thrive in a modern economy.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Building on Wales’ strengths, the UK Government wants to work closely with businesses and industry to support and grow our engineering capabilities and ensure we have the skills in place to secure a strong, resilient economy that is fit for the future.

That is why we’re investing in the skills, industries and infrastructure of the future via the Industrial Strategy. This will build on the foundations of productivity, including encouraging innovation, securing good jobs, driving major upgrades in the UK’s infrastructure and attracting investment by making the UK the best place to start and grow a business.

All of this has the capacity to create prosperous communities in every part of the country, and companies like Renishaw are helping us achieve that ambition, training hundreds of people in south Wales to realise their potential and make a valuable contribution to our economy.

William Lee, Chief Executive of Renishaw said:

Renishaw has invested over £45 million in our facility near Cardiff since 2011 as part of a long-term commitment to developing our presence in Wales.

The Secretary of State will see how this investment is benefitting people across South Wales, including an extensive education outreach programme centred on a dedicated facility at the site for primary and secondary schools. This is all part of ensuring that young people have the necessary skills to help develop our business over the coming years, allowing us to sustain the company’s growth for the future.

Find out more about the UK Government’s Year of Engineering campaign and sign up to be a partner