Police want teenage girls' sexual health data to help crack down on child sex grooming

Police are in talks with doctors to get access to teenage girls’ sexual health records under plans to tackle child grooming gangs.

They believe spikes in the number of sexual health tests in one area would be an early indication of an active gang and help detectives to launch investigations much sooner.

But, according to The Independent, police still face a fight to convince doctors because of concerns over patient confidentiality and fears it could deter young people from getting tested.

Discussions are still at an early stage as to whether police access will be granted to the record which can currently only be viewed by doctors.

The database, currently only available to doctors, details: the date of each test taken; what was screened for; the patient’s age group; the broad area they come from and their ethnicity.

One officer close to the negotiations told the newspaper: "The ability for police to be able to speak in confidence and with confidence to doctors would assist us.

"There are opportunities for us to intervene more effectively and quickly if we have all the information. There are [legal] structures in which that information can be exchanged, assessed and acted upon which will not breach the law. If we could build confidence among health professionals, it would be a huge step forward for us."