The NHS and local government have partnered on the roll-out of a world-first vaccine programme to prevent gonorrhoea.

Eligible patients, which includes gay and bisexual men who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a STI, will be offered the vaccine through local authority-commissioned sexual health services from early August.

NHS England’s national director for primary care and community services Dr Amanda Doyle, said: ‘The launch of a world-first routine vaccination for gonorrhoea is a huge step forward for sexual health and will be crucial in protecting individuals, helping to prevent the spread of?infection and reduce the rising rates of antibiotic resistant strains of the bacteria.’

The roll-out comes after the Government accepted the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice for an NHS roll out of the vaccine amid a record high 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England in 2023 – three times higher than in 2012.

People who receive the jab – an existing vaccine for meningococcal B disease, 4CMenB - could be protected from gonorrhoea by up to 40% and help tackle the increasing levels of antibiotic resistant strains of the disease, according to UKHSA research. UKHSA is supporting NHS England with the programme’s rollout.

Analysis led by Imperial College London has suggested the vaccine known as 4CMenB could avert up to 100,000 cases of gonorrhoea and save the NHS over £7.9m over the next decade.

Eligible people will also be offered mpox, Hepatitis A & B and HPV vaccinations when attending their appointment for the gonorrhoea vaccine.

Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: ‘Local authority commissioned sexual health services have played a vital role at detecting, treating and managing the growing number of cases of gonorrhoea across the country. The targeted roll-out of the vaccine, which could be a game-changer and dramatically reduce transmission of gonorrhoea is good news.’

Lee Peart is editor of Hemming Group’s Healthcare Management magazine.