BMJ  2005;331:1083 (5 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7524.1083-a

Letter

Mandatory reporting of all sexually active under-13s

Reporting is a public health imperative

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—We write with reference to the editorial by Bastable and Sheather.¹ The consultation document from the Department for Education and Skills outlines the principles of sharing information about sexually active youngsters among the agencies that deal with them. Although the intentions of this proposed legislation are good, the intricacies of its application make it impractical. Some of these problems are well highlighted in the editorial. However, more importantly, it can have adverse implications for certain public health issues.

With the growing incidence of teenage pregnancy (that includes under-13s) and abortion rates in the United Kingdom,² sexually active teenagers should be encouraged by all means to attend counselling sessions and to seek medical help in times of need. Any threat to their confidentiality will certainly deter them from seeking help. In addition, delays in presentation for abortion preclude them from accessing safer medical methods. Subsequent surgical methods of termination . . . [Full text of this article]

somla@tiscali.co.uk
Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 1TE

Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 1TE

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