Foreword

At the start of a new decade, it is increasingly apparent that health care has to interface with society in the broadest sense as well as with the physiology of the individual. Sexual health is at the boundary between health and society. It reflects the outcomes of human behaviour, is assisted by increasingly sophisticated technology and treatments, and is influenced by legislation and policy making that shifts over time

This collection takes sexual health as the subject for investigation, and addresses it through reviewing the experience of Scotland in the United Kingdom. The editors and contributors make a strong case for suggesting that the governance and policy context, coupled with Scotland’s poor health record, have allowed creative responses to occur to address poor sexual health and to challenge some of the longstanding societal mores.

Chapters are written by experts in the field – from clinical, health improvement, policy and management – many of whom have been active players in the developments and changes that the book sets out. The approaches taken in the chapters vary depending on the aspect of sexual health being covered, and this makes the collection of wide interest. It demonstrates the high levels of innovation, lateral thinking, clarity of purpose and genuine multi-agency working that characterises the successful approach that has been taken in Scotland.

Difficult challenges remain, but there is a lot here that will benefit those elsewhere in the UK and more widely afield, and I am delighted to recommend this collection.