High rates of emergency contraception

OLDHAM has the second-highest rate of girls aged 13-15 getting emergency contraceptives in the country.

Figures show 235 girls sought the morning after pill in the year to March - that’s 40 underage girls in every 1,000 of the population.

The borough was second to St Helens, Merseyside, which recorded 59 in every 1,000 girls. The North-West was also found to be the most likely region for girls to ask for emergency contraception - around 19 in every 1,000.

Figures for Oldham and the region are significantly higher than for the rest of England, which recorded 7,511 girls aged 13-15 given emergency contraception at least once - a ratio of eight girls in 1,000.

Councillor Jean Stretton, cabinet member for health, said: “We want to ensure young people are as safe as possible and have access to contraception. Health professionals work under strict guidelines. Our services have high usage rates, so it is not a surprise the use of emergency contraception is higher.”