Health Improvement Perspectives: Transformation Within Services Through Reaching Out

The final chapter in this section - Chapter 9: Health improvement perspectives: transformation within services through reaching out – continues to explore the importance of taking a broad model of sexual health into conceptualising sexual health and in targeting activity to those most vulnerable to poor sexual health outcomes. The first sexual health strategy for Scotland emphasised the need for this approach, and in this chapter Phil Eaglesham from NHS Health Scotland describes the significant role of health improvement in promoting good sexual health in Scotland and reviews its contribution to population health.

Mr Eaglesham gives an overview of the tenets of health improvement practice in Scotland and the UK, and provides evidence of work from a health improvement perspective to address the needs of those most at risk of poor sexual health outcomes and to advocate for improved outcomes. These include men who have sex with men, as well as young people as a group, and examples are given of good practice in sexual health improvement especially in relation to partnership working, linked to specialist services and supporting multi-agency approaches.

Two examples from Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Archway – for those who have been recently raped or seriously sexually assaulted, and Open Road – for men involved in prostitution, are given as useful case studies. The chapter ends by suggesting that sexual health improvement approaches contribute to broader population health in Scotland by often providing the only routes for rapid access to healthcare and support for those marginalised in our society.