Gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses are rising sharply in Birmingham, with new figures showing a near 20% annual increase in cases. City gonorrhoea diagnoses rose by 17%, from 1,575 cases in 2024 to 1,844 in 2025, while syphilis diagnoses increased by 15.8%, from 195 to 226 in the same period.
GP urges students to prioritise sexual health
Dr Rupa Parmar, a Birmingham GP and medical director of Midland Health, has issued a warning to university students as they begin or return to university life this month. She reminded them that sexual wellbeing is just as important as physical and mental health.
Dr Parmar said: “University is an exciting new chapter, but students shouldn’t let their sexual health become an afterthought.
“Recognising possible symptoms, practising safer sex, and knowing when to get tested can help students protect both themselves and their partners.
“The fact stigma around STIs is decreasing is a positive thing, and no one should feel ashamed about having an STI or getting tested. But reducing stigma should not mean becoming relaxed about the risk of infection.
“Testing, using protection and speaking openly with partners still matter, because an untreated STI can affect your own health and be passed on without you knowing.”
Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea a growing concern
Dr Parmar warned that students should not assume that catching an STI is always simply a case of taking antibiotics and moving on. “While most bacterial STIs can be treated effectively, antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is a growing concern,” she said.
Common warning signs include abnormal discharge, itchiness in the genitals or anus, and pain when urinating. However, Dr Parmar stressed that many STIs have no obvious symptoms.
“It’s important to remember that many STIs have no obvious symptoms, so it’s always a good idea to test after unprotected sex with a new or casual partner. If you don’t, you risk passing on the undetected infection to others,” she said.
“A common misconception is that only vaginal intercourse can pass on infection; in reality, you should test after any genital, oral, or anal contact. Different STIs also have different testing window periods, so a sexual health clinic, pharmacist or GP can advise you on the most appropriate time to take a test.”
Advice on testing, contraception and protection
Dr Parmar advised students concerned about an STI to avoid sexual contact until they have had a test and accessed support through a sexual health clinic, pharmacy, or GP. Pharmacies and sexual health clinics can also provide emergency contraception after unprotected sex, though most pills need to be taken within three to five days of unprotected sex.
She noted that contraceptive methods like the pill and coil do not protect against STIs. “That’s why, even if you’re on birth control, practising safe sex by using a condom correctly is the only way to prevent catching and spreading an infection. Condoms used as a barrier method remain the simplest way to protect your health. Think of condoms as your everyday protection, and testing as your safety net,” she said.
Dr Parmar also encouraged students to talk openly with new partners about sexual health history and establish boundaries around testing before intimacy. Limiting substance use before sex can also help ensure safe sex is practised every time, as it can be easy to forget protection.
“Some university students are becoming relaxed or even finding themselves unconcerned about catching an STI. Of course, there should be no embarrassment or stigma attached to our diagnoses, but STIs are serious and should be treated as such,” she said.
“A relaxed attitude can put extra pressure on sexual health clinics. Treatment is available for STIs, of course. But frequently detected antibiotic-resistant strains leave patients at risk of health complications and potential treatment failure, especially as doctors rely on specific treatments that can be more affected by drug shortages.”
