Live well
Sexual health
Sexual health is defined as “…a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity”. Promoting and improving sexual health involves initiatives aimed not only at individual behaviour, but also at a wide range of social and environmental interventions.
Levels of sexually transmitted infections in Southwark are high when compared to the rest of London and England:
- each year, there are approximately 8,000 new STI diagnoses among Southwark residents; the borough has one of the highest rates of new STIs in England
- Southwark also ranks among the highest in England for gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnostic rates with approximately 1,600 and 300 new cases each year respectively
Southwark Public Health together with key partners and stakeholders has produced many documents identifying the local population's needs. Please note that this list will be updated as and when new information becomes available.
Southwark JSNA reports
- Sexual health in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 2018 (PDF, 880kb)
- Sexual Health in Vulnerable Groups 2023 (PDF, 1.3mb)
Other local plans and strategies
- Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham sexual and reproductive health strategy 2019-24
- Southwark Sexual Health Strategy 2014-2017
External resources
Page last updated: 07 February 2024