On the 01/01/2012 , the Royal College of Physicians published the report of the: Alcohol & Sexual Health Working Party. The report entitled: Alcohol and sex , A Cocktail For Poor Sexual Health reviews the evidence for the link between alcohol and poor sexual health outcomes, and most importantly defines the value of interventions in sexual health settings that can reduce the associated morbidity. SSHA was represented on the working party and Health Advisers were surveyed during the formation of the report and the majority agreed they have the transferable skills to take on aspects of this work within their role.

A rapid, point-of-care test, which aims to reduce the ‘window period’ through the detection of both antibodies and p24 antigen has poor performance in a clinical setting, researchers report in an article published online ahead of print by the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Whilst the test reliably identified people with established HIV infection, it delivered false negative results to the majority of individuals who were very recently infected with HIV.

An essential study day for Health Advisers, Counsellors, Doctors and Nurses working in sexual health and HIV

Our aim is to provide a practitioner perspective on approaches to partner notification (PN)—some old, some new—which may improve the control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, in a variety of settings.

PN services support patients with STI/HIV in the difficult task of informing often unsuspecting partners—past or present—of their possible exposure to an STI and hence the need to seek medical care. It is an essential component of STI management and control, protecting patients from reinfection, partners from long-term tissue damage from untreated infection and the community from onward transmission. Beneficial dimensions include ethics (duty to warn), disease control (case finding) and epidemiology (identifying factors associated with STI transmission)

SSHA are delighted to announce 2 courses that will be run later on in the year. The training is of particular interest to health advisers since this is a core aspect of our role, so we hope you will be able to attend. Doctors and nurses are also welcome.

The National Professional Committee of the Society of Sexual Health Advisers welcomes the proposed the draft Briefing Paper: Guidance on HIV Prevention in MSM and would like to add that we would fully endorse it.

Conservative religious groups in Scotland have today splashed out over £10,000 on adverts in national newspapers opposing equal marriage. The adverts, which appeared in today’s Daily Record, Herald and Scotsman, announce “a new campaign” against equality called “Scotland for Marriage”.

We are inviting written responses to this consultation paper by 9th March 2012. Please send your response with the completed Respondent Information Form

The Society of Sexual Health Advisers welcomes the proposed BASHH statement on Partner Notification.Please find the below comments from the National Professional Committee of the Society of Sexual Health Advisers on the Proposed statement

SSHA National Professional Committee are asking for feedback on the newly developed SSHA National Sexual Health Adviser Competencies. Consultation Period 1st November 2011 to 31st of January 2012