Sexual health standards
Document Type
Standards
Summary
These standards aim to:
- improve access to sexual health care
- reduce inequalities in sexual health outcomes
- help services to identify areas for improvement
- help services benchmark sexual health care
These sexual health standards aim to ensure that:
- harm is reduced through early intervention and improved access
- people are treated with compassion and respect, with their rights upheld, and
- people experience a service that is free from stigma
The standards apply to:
- any person with concerns about their sexual health
- any person accessing contraception or abortion care
- any organisation responsible for sexual health care
Overview of standardsÂ
Standard 1: Each organisation demonstrates effective leadership, governance and partnership working in the management and delivery of sexual health services.
Standard 2: All individuals receive inclusive information to facilitate informed choice and shared and support decision making.
Standard 3: Each organisation demonstrates commitment to the education and training of all staff involved in sexual health care, appropriate to roles and workplace setting.
Standard 4: All individuals have equitable and consistent access to sexual health care.
Standard 5: All individuals are empowered to maintain positive sexual health, well-being and function.
Standard 6: All individuals can access safe, high-quality and person-centred services for the prevention, detection and treatment of STIs, including sexually-transmitted bloodborne viruses.
Standard 7: Young people can access safe, high-quality and person-centred sexual health care which upholds their rights.
Standard 8: Organisations actively work to reduce sexual health inequalities and provide tailored support and clinical interventions for people most at risk of poor sexual health.
Standard 9: People are empowered and informed about their reproductive rights and can access a full range of methods to reduce unintended pregnancy if they choose to do so.
Standard 10: Women, trans and non-binary people who can become pregnant can access safe, timely and person-centred abortion care services.