Safe sex blitz

East Lancashire has among the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in the country with 61.4 under-18 girls in every 1,000 becoming pregnant compared with a national average of 45.

In Hyndburn, that figure rockets to 70.55 per thousand under-18 girls -- and experts today blamed the figure on poor education and social deprivation.

Burnley is the only area with a higher teenage pregnancy rate.

In a bid to curb the trend Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Primary Care Group is to issue all of its 19 medical centres in Hyndburn with free condoms. The number of condoms allocated to each practice is dependent on the amount of patients on its books. The scheme will then be launched in the Ribble Valley later this year, which has five practices.

But the decision was slammed by a Roman Catholic priest who said it was a case of "putting the cart before the horse."

Father Patrick Bourke, of St Mary's RC Church, Catlow Street, Oswaldtwistle, said: "I honestly don't believe that they will stop teenage pregnancies and they basically promote promiscuity.The only answer is to teach the children to say no."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, Roman Catholic, refused to comment on the issue.

The Trust has purchased 75,000 condoms at a cost of £5,000 -- which works out at 15p a condom -- and yesterday handed over the first batch to the King Street Medical Practice, in Accrington.

Up until now free condoms had only been available at family planning clinics -- run separately from the Primary Care Group.

Suzanne Tytler, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS PCG development manager, said the newscheme was aimed at making them more accessible. S

he also acknowledged the Trust was leaving itself open to moral crusaders who may accuse it of promoting promiscuity.

She said: "It's a way for young people to have access to free contraception without going to the chemist. They will be available from nurses without the need to see their GP.

"I can understand parents being concerned that this is seen as promoting sex but the figures bear out that teenagers are indulging in sexual practice anyway. We would rather they do it safely."

She added: "A combination of many factors, including poor facilities and education in the past along with social deprivation have led to this situation locally.

"This should go a long way to helping youngsters who want to have sex do so safely."

Suzanne said the scheme was one of only a few nationwide and was the latest initiative to curb the rise. Other initiatives have included an emergency contraception card dished out by school nurses. Suzanne said teenagers carrying a card can get help and advice as well as free contraception.

Earlier this year Communicare NHS Trust launched a drop-in sex clinic in High Street, Rishton, which offers advice, health information and contraception to worried teenagers.

All health and local authorities are expected to meet targets imposed by the government as part of a ten years strategy, which will reduce pregnancy rates by 50 per cent by the year 2010 and 15 per cent by 2004.

The Step In clinic in Rishton will be held every Monday between 3pm and 5pm at the Rishton Clinic, High Street.

Ann Crichton, manager of the Brook Advisory Centre in Blackburn, said: "Giving out condoms is one way of tackling this issue but there needs to be education with it.

"Youngsters need to know that not everyone is having sex, they don't need to have sex and with the right education, they should be able to make up their own minds.

"There are many factors which contribute to the pregnancy figures. Hyndburn is not the worst area for teenage pregnancies but it does have a lot of deprived areas, which is a major factor in teenage pregnancy rates."

"There is also the fact that many youngsters argue there isn't a lot to do in some of these areas which can result in them having sex at an earlier age."

Burnley is the only area with a higher teenage pregnancy rate. Along with Hyndburn, it has some of the most deprived wards in the country.