Uppermost in Mary Clegg's mind most recently has been the issue of sexual health. She was required to write an essay as part of her MSc course, (Psychosexual Medicine) on how professionals talk to patients about sex and was amazed at her findings. Even in 2008 health professionals are still reticent to address the sexual health of their patients despite evidence of co-morbidity; cardiovascular disease and diabetes for starters. Patients are still being prescribed medicines which will affect their sexual functioning and they are not being informed. Couple this with the unusual phenomena that people will not seek help and view their sex life as “satisfactory”, even if they have sexual problems, makes this topic tricky to deal with. Mary is convinced that more education that is in context and relevant is the answer. Sex and relationship education in schools is patchy, in some areas it is good and in some areas non existent. For example, if you take a potential medical student through this system, he will have developed certain beliefs and values surrounding sexual health, if nothing is done to enlighten his thinking during training, he will perpetuate his own myths and legends towards his patients. Not all medical schools address sexual health. I have been on STIF courses for Health Professionals and I have witnessed GP’s embarrassment at taking a sexual history. Sounds like I am drum beating – you bet I am! So what have I done? I and several other interested health professionals have set up The British Association of Sexual Educators (BASE). The main aim of which is to provide proper qualifications for sexual education in the UK and co-ordinate sexual health training so that we are a combined voice, able to speak to the policy and decision makers in this country. So far other initiatives have been STI and pregnancy based with little attention paid to sexual problems. Sexual Health appears to be the Cinderella of the NHS with funding in short supply. Until we all realise the importance of sexual health on our wellbeing and quality of life, sexual health will continue to be prioritised as it is now.
BASE is in its infancy at the moment, but if you are interested in BASE please email me at mary@beecourse.com. We are in the process of drafting Codes of Conduct and Ethics and all the other paperwork that this entails, so information is limited. However we will keep you informed of progress. |