Dundee has been highlighted for its teenage pregnancy level.

Caledonia Youth claimed it had been forced to close its Dundee branch following service cuts by NHS Tayside.

But the health authority hit back, saying it would take over the role provided by Caledonia without a reduction in provision.

Caledonia Youth provides counselling services in Edinburgh and Falkirk and an education facility in Aberdeen.

The charity set up its Dundee operation in October 2002 with Scottish Executive funding and the expectation of further financial backing from NHS Tayside.

Clinical provision

However, the city centre facility will now close at the end of March.

NHS Tayside said it would deliver the clinical services provided by Caledonia Youth from April through a service which existed before the charity set up in Dundee.

Caledonia Youth chair Margaret Pullin voiced concern at the decision and claimed clinical provision alone would not help "continuing high rates of poor sexual health".

She said: "While we understand the considerable financial challenges faced by NHS Tayside, it is difficult to see how we can have a serious impact on the priorities outlined in the Scottish Executive's national sexual health strategy with services being eroded in this way.

"We believe that if the policy makers are truly serious about improving the sexual health of our young people, then there is a real need for them to look at different funding methods."

Delivering services

NHS Tayside chief executive Professor Tony Wells said Tayside NHS Board had also approved a long-term sexual health strategy involving extending existing provision and developing nurse-led services and drop-in facilities.

"We have reorganised the way in which we will deliver our sexual health services for young people," he said.