New strategy to strengthen prevention and inclusion in sexual and reproductive health

On 26 June, as we mark Relationships and Sex Education Day (RSE Day), we are proud to officially launch a new five-year Sexual and Reproductive Health Partnership Strategy.

This ambitious, collaborative plan outlines the actions to be taken by the local authority, NHS and community and voluntary sector to improve the sexual and reproductive health of residents of all ages.

RSE Day celebrates Relationships and Sex Education programmes that have a particular focus on children and young people. 

Alongside launching our new five-year Sexual and Reproductive Health Partnership Strategy, we also, for the first time in our borough, showcased Loudmouth Theatre in Education programme – Trust Me. The programme addresses challenging issues around sexual health that are age appropriate.

Sexual and Reproductive Health Partnership Strategy 2025-30

Sexual and reproductive health is important at every age and for every community. It plays a key role in overall health, personal identity, well-being, and relationships.

Shannon Katiyo, Director of Public Health said:

"This strategy builds on the success of the work we have already delivered to improve the sexual and reproductive health of our residents. However, we know that some people fare worse than others in terms of poor outcomes. The launch of this strategy demonstrates our continued commitment to reducing sexually transmitted infections, tackling HIV, and improving reproductive health."

The new strategy takes a life-course approach to sexual and reproductive health, starting in early childhood. Positive parenting helps children build self-awareness and set personal boundaries, laying the groundwork for healthy relationships and preventing abuse. To support this, we are rolling out the National Society Talk PANTS initiative with the help of Pantosaurus.

We are also launching a new 'Make Every Contact Count' training module on sexual and reproductive health for frontline professionals and volunteers to strengthen their knowledge and skills to better support residents.

We are working closely with local partners to support inclusive, lifelong sexual and reproductive health in the borough. This includes:

• Developing a new women’s health hub to help improve care and reduce waiting times for reproductive and sexual health services
• Launching a dedicated ‘Age Well’ programme to improve sexual health among our older population, ensuring inclusive support across all age groups

In addition, many local pharmacies are now offering the contraceptive pill to women without a prescription, making access to contraception more convenient. Residents will also benefit from a new contraceptive service provided by Sexual Health London.

Read the full strategy.

Ongoing support

Encouraging people to take care of their sexual health and providing good health education can lead to better outcomes by promoting safer sex and regular testing.

In Richmond, we provide residents with comprehensive information and advice on sexual and reproductive health. All clinics in the area offer free and confidential contraception, STI testing, treatment and advice. Find out more.