Brook’s key asks for a new Government

Brook’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Lisa Hallgarten, highlights Brook’s key asks for the new Government. 

Money matters

In the 2019 general election, both the main parties offered an ‘end to austerity’. Unfortunately, meaningful government investment in our threadbare public services never materialised.

This year, both parties are talking again about meagre uplifts in spending or even further cuts. This is hugely concerning at a time when our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Children’s Social Care are overwhelmed and understaffed.

It bodes badly for sexual and reproductive health, which has already suffered years of cuts amid concerning rises in STIs rates and reports of an increase in unintended pregnancies resulting from the postcode lottery of waiting times for the most effective Long Acting Reversible Contraception methods.

In 2024, the Government has invested funding for young people’s mental health hubs in a limited number of areas. We hope the incoming Government will continue and expand this investment to ensure every young person can take advantage of accessible in person support in their local area.

Law and policy matter, too

We welcomed the launch of the Women’s Health Strategy in 2022, which aims to address a range of neglected issues in women’s health.

Legislation to allow telemedicine abortion is another key success of the last Government: an evidence-based intervention that supports earlier, simpler access to abortion.

Brook’s priorities for a new government 

We ask the new Government:

Day One

To actively seek out the voices of young people and the input of expert stakeholders to inform a new evidence-based review process to shape revised RSHE guidance.

Year One

To work closely with the sector to develop a plan to ensure high quality RSHE for all children and young people which is: 

• Protective
• Inclusive
• Evidence-based
• Timely
• Empowering
• Effective
• Professional
• Engaged with parents and carers

and which would include:

• guidance that balances the acquisition of knowledge with the development of essential life skills and an understanding of shared values  
• investment in initial teacher training and continuing professional development to ensure teachers are skilled and confident in the pedagogy and content of RSHE;   
• regular involvement of key stakeholders (including young people and teachers) and expert organisations, working in partnership with Government in a process of ongoing reflection, monitoring and evaluation to inform 3 yearly reviews of the guidance and prevent the future politicisation of the topic.  

We ask the new Government: 

Day One

For an immediate moratorium on abortion investigations and prosecutions.

Year One

To reverse cuts to public health budgets.   

To invest in community sexual and reproductive health services, GP provision, and pharmacy to provide accessible, in person and digital, young people friendly, universal as well as tailored and targeted, comprehensive SRH services to meet the needs of the whole population.   

To initiate an urgent plan to take abortion out of the criminal law.  

To work closely with key stakeholders and expert organisations to develop a comprehensive, holistic strategy for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in England which would:   

• prioritise prevention and invest in sexual health promotion 
• be integrated with the Women’s Health Strategy, Hatfield Vision, HIV Action Plan 
• have clear aspirations and goals for a sexually healthy population
• address pressing issues including: 
  • SRH inequality
  • increasing STI rates and anti-microbial resistance
  • increasing waiting times for effective contraception methods 
  • persistently high unplanned pregnancy rates 
  • increasing waiting times for abortion 
  • increasing teenage pregnancy rates
  • prevalence of misinformation about sexual health online 
  • commissioning and fragmentation of services  
  • workforce and training  
  • optimising digital and in person services to maximise accessibility 

We ask the new Government:

Day One

To commit to a fully funded, cross departmental, nationally led, and locally implemented young people’s health strategy addressing prevention and promoting good physical and mental health.  

Year One

To invest sufficiently in all the people and places young people can get information, advice and support with their health including: schools and school nursing, the play and youth services, mental health hubs, specialist health services for young people, children’s social care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and primary care . 

To invest in young people so that they can become effective advocates; and ensure they have a greater role in shaping education, youth work, healthcare and community life. 

Manifestos

Brook works closely with other organisations that champion sexual and reproductive health and rights and improving the health and wellbeing of young people.

We endorse the manifestos of these organisations:   

• Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition – A Manifesto for Babies, Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health 
• Marie Stopes – Our Post Election Policy Vision 
• FSRH – Hatfield Vision Manifesto for the 2024 General Election 
• National Aids Trust and THT – One Parliament Left 

Third sector involvement is crucial 

Finally, we want to make a plea for the next Government to understand the value that the voluntary sector brings to promoting and supporting good health.  

Many charities can ‘reach the parts’ that statutory services cannot reach. We are flexible and innovative, and bring brilliant insights and knowledge to policy-making and service delivery.   

Listen to us. Involve us. Fund us.