Lambeth in south London has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Britain, but strategies have begun to work. There were 96.8 pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15 to 18 in 2002-4, but the rate dropped to 79.1 in 2005-7 as the overall numbers fell from 1,178 to 903.

Ruth Wallis, director of public health for Lambeth primary care trust, said: "We're pleased that the teenage pregnancy rate has fallen for the fourth year running and has gone down by more than 12.8% since this became a priority for us in 1998. But we know that [it] remains too high."

Wallis said that strategies for combating teenage pregnancy included confidential sexual health services and working with boys and young men as well as girls. Lambeth council said that it worked closely with Lambeth PCT and other sexual health providers.

Geraldine McCormick, teenage pregnancy strategy coordinator for Lambeth, said: "We work with schools and teenagers and coordinate with a range of other organisations. Two sexual health outreach nurses go into schools, youth centres and youth homeless centres and provide sexual relationship advice."

Lambeth also has 11 sexual health clinics, three with specific surgeries for young people. Services also offered include an advice line, a booking service for advice on abortion with access to a nurse or councillor and 12 pharmacies offering free emergency contraception.