Sexual health and blood borne virus action plan: 2023 to 2026

Key priorities

Following the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains work to be done to ensure that individuals across Scotland are able to access sexual health and BBV care and information through channels which suit their needs and preferences. In light of this, this Action Plan focusses on how to ensure that everyone who needs it can access good sexual and reproductive health and BBV care and support, from primary prevention to treatment.

However, where possible, we want to work towards a holistic system which focusses on maximum benefit from each intervention, providing appropriate care for everyone who needs it, whilst also ensuring that specialist services are enabled to provide expert support for those with complex care needs.

Improving sexual wellbeing is more than preventing sexual ill health, but about broader, more positive sexual wellbeing. Therefore, in addition to a focus on service provision, we will continue to work towards improving holistic sexual wellbeing so that sexual relationships are centred on personal choice, and healthy, consensual, pleasurable sexual interactions.

We acknowledge that these ambitions will not be fully realised within the lifetime of this Action Plan. Therefore, this plan outlines specific action points which, whilst ambitious, will be delivered by March 2026 and will contribute toward the broader aims. In some cases, these actions signal a start to work that will continue beyond 2026. The actions are highlighted throughout the document and summarised in Annex A

Working with NHS Boards (including non-territorial Boards), local authorities, academia and the third sector we have identified several key priority areas for focus in the next three years. These priority areas are outlined in detail later in the document.

The provision of sexual health and BBV services should be in line with Getting it Right for Everyone (GIRFE) principles:

• focused on individual care needs
• understanding the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals in their current situation
• early intervention
• joined-up working/information sharing
• a human rights-based approach