Finalist
At Tipping Point – Tracking Year-on-Year Cuts and Closures in Contraception
Summary of work
Since 2015, the Advisory Group on Contraception (AGC) has been capturing year-on-year data evidencing the impact of public health cuts on women’s access to contraceptive services. In December 2016, the AGC published its seminal report, Private lives, public health, an in-depth paper revealing that 3.9 million women were living in an area with some form of restriction on access to contraception and one sixth of local authorities had already decreased spending on contraception.
With public health budgets facing annual cuts and the fragmented commissioning environment continuing to impact on funding decisions, the AGC has built on this evidence, adding in new insights each year to reveal that 8 million women now live in an area where the local council has cut its sexual and reproductive health budget. By working with local community groups, we have also brought to light the impact these cuts have had on women’s experiences of accessing care, championing the voices of those most at risk of losing services. By translating complex data into meaningful statements, the AGC has brought contraception to the forefront of public health debates, leading to policy action to improve the way the system works for women across England.
Judges’ comments
This was a truly impressive campaign. During the tumultuous time of Brexit, the team managed to get parliament to have a conversation about contraception. The campaign was built on good insight and evidence. The Public Health England quote gave this entry the wow factor. The team deserves recognition for its achievement to change policy.
