TWO-thirds of sexual health clinics in England have had to turn away patients in the past year, say campaigners.

A survey by three leading sexual health charities showed many people were still unable to get immediate access to tests and treatment.

The survey said sexual health services remained a low priority for primary care trusts, despite the sustained increase in the number of people with sexually transmitted diseases.

The Terrence Higgins Trust, the British HIV Association and Providers of Aids Care and Treatment questioned almost 70 sexual health clinicians and 47 care trusts in England.

Almost two-thirds of clinicians had to turn away patients seeking treatment.

The charities said waiting times for those seeking care were also unacceptably long, with one in five patients waiting a month for a test.

A third waited more than two weeks for an HIV test.

Just over half of clinicians said their ability to provide services had become worse in the past year.

The charities also said there was a lack of NHS priority for sexual health at a local level.

Nearly half of the care trusts made no increase in their expenditure on sexual health.