by Jo Sword

More older people are suffering from sexually transmitted infections, it has been revealed.

The news emerged as part of Sexual Health Week, being promoted by the NHS to increase awareness of the problem and what services are available.

Rates of STIs are on the up, and events are are taking place across Kent this week to try and reduce them.

And the NHS is not the only organisation working to promote good sexual health.

Janet Pearce is a nurse supervisor at Marie Stopes International, which has a clinic in Maidstone. She said: “In Kent we operate the C Card Scheme, which provides condoms for young adults between 13 to 19 years old, which we think is a very pro-active thing to do for this age group.

"It means they can access condoms free of charge.”

Most promotion of good sexual health is aimed at teenagers and young adults, this leads to the older generation being missed out, according to Ms Pearce.

She added: “In the older age group of women and men there are rising rates of sexually transmitted infections.

"We are also seeing older women facing unplanned pregnancies. This is probably due to a change in relationships. For instance, people who have perhaps not had these issues for sometime being married, now they are single again and dating. When they were younger a lot of these problems were not so prevalent.

"It is definitely an age group of people who need much more information and access to good sexual health services.”

For all that, those aged 16 to 24 are considered to be the most vulnerable and are at the heart of the campaign. Even though the age group accounts for just 12 per cent of the population, they account for more than half of all STIs diagnosed in the UK.

NHS West Kent will be at Freshers Fairs within college and university campuses to hand out information for students. The Trust is also out every Friday night in the Gravesend and Dartford area with their Urban Blue Bus, a double decker bus with a treatment room offering screening and advice to night time revellers.