Select a region
Sixth months into a new free contraception programme for women under 21, the States are reporting it has already proved to be successful in cutting the number of teenage pregnancies in Guernsey.
If trends continue as they are, the Committee for Health & Social Care said the stats would show a 75% reduction in under 18 maternity bookings when compared to the previous two years.
From the 16 December 2017, young women under 21 in Guernsey and Alderney were able to access the free contraceptive provision though their GP, Choices or the Orchard Centre. To date the service has delivered 827 "episodes of care".
A spokesperson for HSC said: "When starting the programme we were aiming for a 50% reduction in under 18 year old conceptions by 2023 to eight conceptions per 1,000. As such Health & Social Care has been monitoring the impact of this new service and have been very encouraged by the significant reduction in young people booking at our Maternity Services.
"The projected total for the first full year in which free under 21 contraception has been available (2018) shows a predicted 75% reduction in under 18 maternity bookings when compared to the two years prior to the introduction of the scheme."
This data, it added, included pregnancies which end in a termination - for under 18s, that is 45%.
The programme itself has seen Employment and Social Security and HSC work together to make a full range of contraceptive services available free of charge for the women. It has cost £107,000 a year, and is being paid for from the Guernsey Health Service Fund.
"Early results show that implementation of a programme of free contraception for the Bailiwick has resulted in a very significant decrease in the number of young women under the age of 18 years booking at our Maternity Services," Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of HSC, said.
"I am therefore very pleased with these early results and hope that this will impact on the health and wellbeing of Islanders for many years to come."
Contact details for free under 21 contraception in Guernsey:
Choices: 01481-714954, 07781-103434, Facebook or www.choices.gg
The Orchard Centre: 01481-707707 or Facebook (Orchard Clinic)
Healthcare Group:www.healthcare.gg
Island Health: www.islandhealth.co.uk
Queens Road Medical Practice: www.eqrmp.com
It all started following the Sexual Health Needs Assessment for Guernsey and Alderney (2014, updated 2016), which highlighted the need to reduce the number of unintended teenage pregnancies. There were fifty-one under-18 conceptions in Guernsey and Alderney during the three year period 2013-15 - an average of 17 per year.
In contrast, the rate in Jersey is 6.8 per 1,000 women, which was significantly lower that the rates observed in Guernsey and Alderney over a comparable period of time. Jersey had free contraceptive provision for the under 21’s when these rates were measured in 2013 - 2015.
Economically, it has been estimated that for every £1 invested in contraception, more than £11.09 is saved, whilst that rises to £13.42 for every £1 invested in long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods (the implant and intra-uterine devices or systems) of contraception.
Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, President of ESS, added: "I’m delighted with the early results of the free under 21 contraception programme. If this is sustained it will prove to be an excellent social and financial return from the relatively modest investment of around £100,000 per year from the Health Service Fund."
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.