• l 2,945 new HIV diagnoses reported for 2002; an increase of 25 per cent from 2,354 in the same period last year;
• the number of people attending genito-urinary clinics had doubled between 1991 and 2001;
• new diagnoses of STIs rose by 61 per cent in the last year; cases of gonorrhoea were up 35 per cent; chlamydia more than doubled; and cases of syphilis more than tripled.

Even though these statistics may seem alarming, there are no plans to return HIV and other STIs to the same level of priority as those original key clinical areas. This list of areas is currently growing to include, among other things, child health and diabetes. This is likely to be very important in how PCTs plan for the provision of HIV and sexual health services in the foreseeable future because each of those other areas, recognised as key clinical priorities, now has a National Service Framework (NSF).
These NSFs help to establish clear national standards for services in order to improve quality and reduce unacceptable geographical variations in standards of care and treatment.
Much of the success of the new PCTs will be based on their ability to achieve the standards and targets set out in these NSFs. This means that those clinical areas with an NSF are likely to be given priority when it comes to planning local health services and allocating resources.
HIV and other STIs left out in the cold?
However, while not giving HIV and other STIs an NSF, the government has not completely ignored the issue. In July 2001, the ‘National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV’ was published with the broad aims of:

• l reducing the transmission of HIV and STIs;
• reducing the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV and STIs;
• reducing unintended pregnancy rates;
• improving health and social care for people living with HIV; and
• reducing the stigma associated with HIV and STIs.