Chamber and committees

Chlamydia tests undertaken by the NHS are processed by NHS laboratories with statistics on the number of tests and positive diagnoses collated and analysed by Health Protection Scotland. Chlamydia tests which are undertaken as part of the community pharmacy contract will feed into this process and be monitored in the same way.

Data is only currently available until 2007. The most recent data on positive diagnosis show that in 2006 there were 17,926 diagnoses of genital chlamydia, compared with 17,928 in 2007.

There has therefore been no significant change in the number of positive diagnosis since 2006.

The available information is given in the following tables (2007 is the year for which the latest data is available):

Genital Chlamydia Infection, Scotland 2006 and 2007; Laboratory Tests by Gender and Age Group

Gender	Age Group	2006	2007
Male	15-24	22,203	23,865
	25-49	27,401	28,955
	50+	2,583	2,783
	Total*	52,187	55,603
Female	15-24	78,634	80,509
	25-49	90,288	90,160
	50+	7,320	4,333
	Total*	176,242	175,002
Total1,2	15-24	100,837	104,374
	25-49	117,689	119,115
	50+	9,903	7,116
	Total*	228,429	230,605

Source: Health Protection Scotland - February 2009.

Notes:

1.Excludes cases where gender is not known,

2. Totals do not include the number of tests performed in those <15.

The total number of tests collected from the laboratories contains some equivocal, unconfirmed or indeterminate results (approx 1.3% of tests as well as some duplicate tests for the same individual (approx 5-20%).

*Includes age not known.

Genital Chlamydia Infection, Scotland 2006 and 2007; Laboratory Tests by NHS Board of Report

NHS Board	2006	2007
Ayrshire and Arran	13,026	13,228
Borders	3,213	3,437
Dumfries and Galloway	6,891	6,966
Fife	14,737	14,607
Forth Valley	11,011	11,334
Grampian	26,902	28,577
Greater Glasgow and Clyde**	59,414	61,680
Highland	10,461	10,480
Lanarkshire	17,882	19,497
Lothian	45,074	43,159
Orkney	N/A	N/A
Shetland	N/A	N/A
Tayside	17,917	18,811
Western Isles	N/A	N/A
Total	226,528	231,776

Source: Health Protection Scotland - February 2009.

Notes:

The total number of tests collected from the laboratories contains some equivocal, unconfirmed or indeterminate results (approx 1.3% of tests) as well as some duplicate tests for the same individual (approx 5-20%).

N/A - not applicable as chlamydia testing is performed in laboratories in neighbouring NHS board areas.

**In 2006, the data for the NHS Argyll and Clyde laboratories have been included in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde data to allow comparison with 2007.

Human Reproduction and The Lancet medical journals published Swedish research in spring 2008 which stated that there is a robust and independent association between failure to conceive and chlamydia antibodies in men, independent of semen quality.

The Scottish Government has been advised however that while chlamydia infection can reduce male fertility, further research is required to determine the actual effect on fertility, as this is not clear.

We know that men are less likely to access health services generally. Recent NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Standards on Sexual Health set out a target to increase chlamydia testing in those under 25, and contain a specific target to increase the number of young men being offered a test.

Health boards are responsible for putting in place a range of measures which will reach young people in their local area and many are taking innovative approaches to reach young men.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government has published sexual health outcomes for 2008-11. One of these outcomes, being led by NHS boards and local authorities, is the provision of young people''s drop-in services in or near every school in Scotland offering general health advice, Chlamydia testing, pregnancy testing and condoms.

The recent Quality Improvement Scotland Standard on sexual health and young people sets out a target to increase chlamydia testing in under 25s. This includes a specific target to increase the number of young men being offered a test. Every young person who visits a sexual health service is asked if they have put themselves at risk and, if so, offered a test.

In addition, health boards are responsible for putting in place a range of measures which will reach young people in their local area and many are taking innovative approaches to reach young men, such as postal testing kits which can be given directly to young men or to a young woman to pass on to her partner.

The most recent figures for chlamydia testing published by Health Protection Scotland are for 2007. Data is not yet available showing progress made toward meeting targets on chlamydia testing. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published targets for chlamydia testing in 2008. NHS boards will be audited on achievement of these targets in 2009-10 and annual data collected by Health Protection Scotland will show what progress is being made in moving towards those targets. The first set of figures showing the rate of progress will be for the year 2008-09, which will start to become available in November 2009.

The available information is given in the following table (2007 is the year for which the latest data is available):

Genital Chlamydia Infection, Scotland 2006 and 2007; Laboratory Tests and Proportion of Population by Gender and Age Group

Gender	Age Group	2006	2006	2007	2,007
		Numbers	Proportion of Population* (%)	Numbers	Proportion of Population** (%)
Male	15-24	22,203	6.50	23,865	6.90
	25-49	27,401	3.10	28,955	3.30
	50+	2,583	0.60	2,783	0.60
	Total***	52,187	3.10	55,603	3.30
Female	15-24	78,634	24	80,509	24.30
	25-49	90,288	9.80	90,160	9.80
	50+	7,320	1.50	4,333	0.90
	Total ***	176,242	10.10	175,002	10
Total1,2	15-24	100,837	15.10	104,374	15.40
	25-49	117,689	6.60	119,115	6.60
	50+	9,903	1	7,116	0.70
	Total ***	228,429	6.70	230,605	6.70

Source: Health Protection Scotland - February 2009.

Notes:

The total number of tests collected from the laboratories contains some equivocal, unconfirmed or indeterminate results (approx 1.3% of tests) as well as some duplicate tests for the same individual (approx 5-20%).

1.Excludes cases where gender is not known.

2. Totals do not include the number of tests performed in those <15.

*Population denominator based on the GROS mid-year population data for 2006 for those aged 15-64.

**Population denominator based on the GROS mid-year population data for 2007 for those aged 15-64.

***Includes age not known.

The available information is given in the following tables (2007 is the year for which the latest data is available):

Genital Chlamydia Infection, Scotland 2006 and 2007; Laboratory Diagnoses by Gender and Age Group

Gender	Age Group	2006	2007
Male	15-24	3,927	3,970
	25-49	2,363	2,505
	50+	60	85
	Total*	6,374	6,582
Female	15-24	8,892	8,655
	25-49	2,436	2,365
	50+	22	27
	Total*	11,374	11,065
Total1	15-24	12,819	12,625
	25-49	4,799	4,870
	50+	82	112
	Total*	17,748	17,647

Source: Health Protection Scotland - February 2009.

Notes:

1.Excludes cases where gender is not known.

*Includes age not known.

Genital Chlamydia Infection, Scotland 2006 and 2007; Laboratory Diagnoses by NHS Board of Report

NHS Board	2006	2007
Ayrshire and Arran	891	1,133
Borders	230	262
Dumfries and Galloway	598	567
Fife	1,198	1,211
Forth Valley	916	887
Grampian	1,781	1,805
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	4,766	4,763
Highland	711	743
Lanarkshire	1,534	1,597
Lothian	3,414	3,137
Orkney	38	50
Shetland	37	23
Tayside	1,790	1,743
Western Isles	22	7
Total	17,926	17,928

Source: Health Protection Scotland - February 2009.

The following table details the number of volunteer ambulance car drivers since 2004, broken down by NHS board area. Information is not held for the years prior to 2003-04.

NHS Board	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Argyll and Clyde#	18	18	0	0	0	0
Ayrshire and Arran	15	16	14	11	14	17
Borders	9	9	10	10	10	4
Dumfries and Galloway	25	25	21	21	28	22
Fife	11	13	14	12	17	14
Forth Valley	29	34	35	35	45	45
Grampian	19	21	20	19	19	15
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	47	46	45	38	42	31
Highland	57	58	64	64	88	58
Lanarkshire	28	30	32	26	29	17
Lothian	13	11	10	10	10	8
Orkney	4	4	2	1	4	2
Shetland	0	1	0	0	1	0
Tayside	28	25	24	24	27	23
Western Isles	12	13	14	9	17	10
Scotland	315	324	305	280	351	266

Notes:

*Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

**Information for 2008-09 is as at 19 February 2009.

^#Dissolution of NHS Argyll and Clyde “ figures for 2005-06 and 2006-07 included in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Highland.

The Scottish Ambulance Service do not employ drivers. The service employs a mix of paramedics, technicians and ambulance care assistants to deliver the accident and emergency service and the patient transport service. Volunteer car drivers support the patient transport service by taking patients to hospital for routine appointments.

The Scottish Ambulance Service recognises that the role of the volunteer driver in rural areas, in particular in the north of Scotland, is vital to ensuring that patients get to their hospital appointments. The patient transport service, which volunteer drivers support, exists for those with a medical need for transport. The appropriate mix of resources is the subject of on-going review against the changing requirements of patient groups.

In order to attract some more volunteer car drivers in specific areas, the Scottish Ambulance Service ran an advertising campaign in local newspapers that cover rural areas. They also ran a targeted poster campaign in hospital clinics and GP surgeries. The service will continue to promote the recruitment of volunteer drivers through these channels.