Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs Assessment

Sexual and reproductive health is an important public health issue. Equitable access to sexual and reproductive health services is essential to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and populations.

What the assessment is

The 2024 Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs Assessment is a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the current and future sexual and reproductive health needs of Richmond residents. The needs assessment informs the 2025 to 2030 Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy in order to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the borough. It replaces the LBRuT Sexual Health Needs Assessment 2018.

The assessment has been informed by the latest available local and national data as well as engagement and collaboration with several different organisations including residents, safeguarding boards, community and voluntary sector partnerships, disabilities partnerships, crime prevention partnerships and young people’s participation groups. Furthermore, it highlights disproportionate impacts upon certain groups as well as groups that are underserved by current service provision.

Strategic priorities

Six high level strategic priorities are proposed in the assessment to inform the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy 2025 to 2030:

1. RSE and sexual and reproductive health education through the life course, targeting disproportionately affected and underserved groups
2. Improve prevention and rapid, targeted diagnosis and access to treatment for STIs and HIV
3. Improve HIV prevention including the increased uptake of PrEP amongst underserved groups
4. Increase reproductive choice and prevention of reproductive related ill-health
5. Increase role of wider community in promoting positive sexual and reproductive health recognising links to emotional health and wellbeing
6. Identification of child sexual abuse that recognises links to longer term health outcomes

There have been 15 key recommendations developed in line with the strategic priorities and additionally mapped to eight World Health Organisation (WHO) intervention areas that promote positive sexual and reproductive health.

These are further associated with the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment life-course approach: Start well, Live well and Age Well.

2024 Needs Assessment

The needs assessment also informs an Equality Impact Needs Assessment for the strategy and the commissioning of services. 

• View the 2024 Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs Assessment
• Draft Equality Impact and Needs Analysis