WEST Dunbartonshire has the third-highest teenage pregnancy rate in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, according to a new report.

Papers to be considered by the area’s health and social care partnership this week show that the number of young people attending sexual health clinics in West Dunbartonshire has dropped by a massive 66 per cent in the last seven years.

And a senior nurse says the service in the area “must be improved” – especially for young people in the most vulnerable groups in society.

The report to the HSCP’s board, which is due to meet on Wednesday, shows that the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area as a whole now has the third lowest teenage pregnancy rate in Scotland.

But the new report by the area’s chief nurse, Wilma Hepburn, states: “The majority of clients use a central telephone number to access the services.

“This can result in long queues, long waiting times on the phone and abandoned calls. This can result in ‘Did Not Attend’ (DNA) as people find it difficult to get through to cancel appointments.

“The ability for patients to access the services is causing concern and there is little prospect of improving this unless the service changes to achieve this.

“The service needs to better support clients who are able to self-manage their sexual health needs in order that access for the most vulnerable people is improved.”

In order to maintain the public health function of reducing transmission of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, the board will be told that the area’s Sandyford sexual health service hubs must continue to provide open access in a timely fashion.

There are Sandyford hubs in West Dunbartonshire at the Vale of Leven Hospital, Clydebank and in Drumchapel.

According to the new figures, 3,209 West Dunbartonshire residents used Sandyford clinics – but only 144 under-20s went to the hub in the Vale, compared to 163 in Clydebank and Drumchapel.

The numbers of young people who used Sandyford services has fallen every year from 2011 to 2015. In 2011, 159 boys and 1,845 girls aged 13 used Sandyford’s services, but by 2015 these numbers had slumped to 53 boys and 687 girls.

Ms Hepburn added: “The Sandyford vision is that there is a good and positive sexual wellbeing experience, where people can access specialist sexual health services when they require to. The focus will be on supported self-management, early intervention and prevention of poor sexual health.

“In February 2017, Glasgow City HSCP commenced a review of Sandyford sexual health services.”