The number of Southwark residents contracting gonorrhoea and syphilis has “increased significantly” – but funding cuts and closed sexual health clinics are not to blame, according to specialists.

New data has revealed a slight decrease in the number and rate of overall STIs diagnosed in Southwark between 2016 and 2017 but a significant increase in both syphilis and gonorrhoea, which increased by 42 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.

Despite the decrease in STIs overall, Southwark has the third highest rate of new diagnoses of STIs  – down from second highest – and the second highest rate of diagnosed HIV, in the country, according to council documents.

In 2017, there were 7,778 new STIs diagnosed in residents of Southwark, a rate of 2,496 per 100,000 residents – compared to 743 per 100,000 in England, the documents explained.

But the STI testing rate had decreased by five per cent in 2017 compared to 2016.

This comes as funding for the public health grant – money allocated by the Government to improve local health – has decreased every year, with shorter opening times for many clinics, and the closure of three sexual health clinics  at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital in 2016/17.

But speaking to a health and wellbeing board, a council officer assured the group residents were still able to access testing.

“Since 2013 when sexual health services were transferred to local authority we have increased our testing year on year. There was a slight decline with the testing rate, and we are looking why that was, but we are delivering an additional 10,000 tests per 100,000 people per year since 2013,” she said.

“We are fairly reassured that although we have financial challenges we are maintaining that access.”

According to council documents, the cuts to services and their impact on sexual health are “complex” with shorter opening times leading to greater capacity.

“In May 2018, Kings College Hospital amended their opening times to allow for better use of their staff and site.

“This has meant shorter opening times but greater capacity during those times, due to more staff working at any one time.

“Early findings indicate that there has been a 22 per cent increase in activity; although the trust reduced the total opening hours they increased the total walk in hours and have considerably increased the number of appointments available, reducing waiting times for  long-acting reversible contraception from four weeks to a few days.”