The number of people using NHS community contraception clinics rose by seven per cent to 1.3 million in the year to March 2009, says a report out today from The NHS Information Centre.

The biggest percentage rise was among men with 13 per cent, or 17,000, more attending in 2008/09 compared to the previous year, bringing the total to 140,000 – approximately one in ten of all those attending.

Among women, the number of those attending increased by six per cent, or 67,000, to 1.2 million.

However, in spite of the rise since last year, the overall number of people attending has remained broadly stable over the last 10 years. The number of attendances remained at 2.5 million – a figure which has also been stable over the past decade.

The report; NHS Contraceptive Services, England 2008/09, also showed:

• Among women who attended NHS community contraceptive clinics, the 16-19 year old age group had the highest number of attendances per 100 of the population. An estimated 21 per cent of women in this age group visited a clinic during the year while the equivalent proportion for those aged 13 to 15 was eight per cent. In 2007/08, the respective proportions for these age groups were 20 per cent and 8 per cent.
• Oral contraception was the primary contraceptive method of 44 per cent of women who attended NHS community contraceptive clinics, and it remains the most common primary method. This percentage has remained stable since 2003/04.
• Use of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) continues to increase and now accounts for 24 per cent of primary methods of contraception among women who attended NHS community contraceptive clinics. This percentage was 23 per cent in 2007/08 and 18 per cent in 2003/04.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “The report reveals the profile of the patients using NHS community contraceptive clinics as well as the growing use of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives.”

The full report is at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscontra0809

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with more than 300 health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. Information on NHS community contraception clinic services (formerly family planning clinics) includes services provided by trusts in NHS clinics and as domiciliary visits and Brook services. Brook is a national voluntary sector provider of free and confidential sexual health advice and services, specifically for young people under 25.
3. 'All ages' refers to first contacts with females/males aged 13-44. 'Under 15' refers to first contacts with females/males aged 13-14. 'Under 16' refers to first contacts with females/males aged 13-15.
4. Information on NHS community contraception excludes services provided in out-patient clinics and those provided by General Practitioners. Limited data is presented for out-patient clinics sourced from The NHS Information Centre's (IC) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), prescription data from the Prescribing Support Unit (PSU) and survey data from ‘Contraception and Sexual Health 2008/09', a report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on behalf of the NHS Information Centre. This is a sample survey of women aged 16 to 49 and men aged 16 to 69 in Great Britain, and gives an overview of all contraception used irrespective of whether it is provided by the NHS. It also asks about sexual behaviour and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections.
5. LARCs include intra-uterine-devices (IUD), injectable contraception, implants and intra-uterine-systems (IUS).
6. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact:

Fraser Woodward on 07983 629448, fraser.woodward@ic.nhs.uk

Kristina Fox on 07908 818 962, kristina.fox@ic.nhs.uk