Empowering Sexual Health and Wellbeing: A Year in Review 

In this blog Brook’s Chief Executive Helen Marshall, and our Chair Dame Sally Dicketts, proudly reflect on the strides we’ve made in our mission to ensure that excellent sexual health, mental health, and wellbeing are recognised as fundamental rights for all. 

For 60 years, Brook has championed accessible sexual health services and inclusive relationships and sex education (RSE). In the first year of delivering our new ambitious strategy we have worked collaboratively with service users, sector partners, commissioners, funders and corporates to make a positive difference to the lives of 1.32 million people. 

With a focus on challenging inequality, we bolstered our parliamentary engagement and continued to champion policies that protect and empower LGBT+ young people, at a time when their rights are increasingly under attack.  

We were invited by Welsh Government officials to provide feedback on the National Transgender Guidance for Schools and Local Authorities, as well as being asked to provide bespoke briefings to MPs ahead of a parliamentary debate on LGBT+ inclusive relationships education.  

Protecting people’s right to safe, accessible abortion care is a priority, and we worked with sector partners to call on the government to reform the Abortion Act 1967 and decriminalise people seeking to end their own pregnancies.  

We continue to transform RSE provision, responding to counter the harmful messaging to which young people are exposed. This year we have challenged inequality in the classroom with new resources on period inequality, tackling misogyny and gender stereotypes and supporting critical thinking on pornography.  

Our innovative digital offer has expanded, with the launch of three new online learning courses: Gender Diversity, How to Deliver RSE and Managing a Disclosure of Sexual Harassment or Assault. We now have 37,200 registered users and 16 courses helping teachers deliver high-quality, inclusive RSE to keep young people safe. 

In 23/24 we reached a total of 123,452 young people and their teachers through our two live RSE broadcasts on the topics of periods (in partnership with Lil-Lets) and challenging gender stereotypes. Additionally, we have launched new resources for parents, carers and families to evidence the positive impact of RSE, explain school curriculum content and offer practical tools to support RSE conversations at home.  

Our vision is to provide dedicated services and resources that respond to particular needs, while retaining a universal offer that is open to all. In 23/24 we conducted an audit of our core clinical sites to assess their accessibility for people with additional access needs and in response we have commissioned new accessible images.  

For the second year running, we are proud to receive the I Want Great Care Certificate of Excellence in recognition of the outstanding care we provide in our clinical services and the positive reviews from our services users. 

This was the first time I have used the clinic and the quality of service, professionalism and care received was outstanding. I don’t usually bother leaving comments or complaints, but this experience and the staff/team deserve credit for their work and the exceptionally high quality of service they delivered. Way better than most if not all public services. Many thanks

Service user. Dudley

In Dudley, we launched our new integrated sexual health service in November 2023. Through this digital and face-to-face offer, we provide free, confidential, non-judgmental support to people of all ages. Service users in Dudley are the first to benefit from MyBrook, a new online client portal granting access to a suite of tools including home STI testing, test results, testing history, online treatment ordering, contraception requests, and appointment booking. 

We recognise stigma as a key driver of health inequality, particularly in sexual and mental health. In 23/24, we worked collaboratively with brands, corporate supporters, influencers and service users, to further our mission to fight stigma, drive conversation and challenge misconceptions around mental health, LGBT+ identities, contraception and more.  

Everything we do is supported by evidence. Our 2023 research project Education, access, stigma and young people: attitudes to contraception, condoms and sexual health (EASY), is a collection of data on the attitudes, experiences and voices of more than 2,700 young people in England and Wales. Inspired by the CONUNDRUM project in Scotland, the research speaks to the alarming rise in STI rates, the reduced uptake of condoms and contraception, increased spread of misinformation via online platforms and the lack of access to services and education. 

We pride ourselves on being responsive to emerging and unmet needs that are faced by the communities we support. This year we have worked hard to improve reproductive health and wellbeing provision for adults, and to innovate and redevelop our wellbeing offer in response to the devastating shortfall in mental health provision for young people. 

Thanks to funding from the Department of Health and Social Care we have been fighting stigma and improving the lives of Cornwall residents experiencing perimenopause and menopause in the workplace, additionally we are proud to launch a pioneering a new model in Cornwall offering place-based integrated mental health, sexual health and wellbeing support services for young people. This new accessible community hub will provide early intervention mental health and suicide prevention services to 11–25 year-olds.  

As we celebrate our 60th year, we draw inspiration from our pioneering founder, Helen Brook, whose legacy drives us forward in our fight for a world where everyone feels empowered to make decisions about their health and identity. Together, we will continue to work towards a future where sexual health and wellbeing are truly recognised as fundamental rights for all. We invite you to join us in this vital mission.