FENLAND has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Cambridgeshire and a low level of appropriate services.

Director of public health Liz Robin said: “The key challenges of sexual health in Cambridgeshire are health inequalities and inequity of service provision between the north and south of the county.

“Fenland has the highest teenage pregnancy rate and a relatively low level of service provision. The ongoing work to re-design services includes a requirement to address these service inequities.”

Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency show young people are still the group most affected by sexually transmitted infections.

The key service aim in Fenland is to ensure that young people can easily access appropriate and user friendly sexual health and contraceptive services.

In a report to NHS Cambridgeshire, Ms Robin said: “In Fenland a needs assessment has led to the creation of a senior specialist nurse post who will increase the number of clinic sessions but also ensure that there are more school based services.” The post is currently being recruited.

Funding has been secured to establish sexual health and contraceptive services in schools with weekly clinics being held in six colleges including at Wisbech.

In preparation for a county-wide emergency hormonal contraceptive campaign, focus groups are being organised with young people at further education colleges to assess their knowledge and understanding of EHC. Results from the groups will be used for the campaign.