Gateshead Integrated Sexual Health Service Briefing

Gateshead Council have provided us the briefing below regarding sexual health services in Gateshead. 
Please read the briefing to understand how sexual health services will be structured from the 1st April.
The LPC is happy to see that Pharmacies services will be integral in the new commissioning arrangements.

---

---

After completion of a full and rigorous open procurement exercise, Gateshead Council Public Health are pleased announce that South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust (STFT) will be delivering the new integrated sexual health service for Gateshead from April 1st 2015.

This will be a 2 year contract with an option to extend a further 2 years. STFT will lead sexual health service provision in Gateshead along with GP's, Pharmacies and specialist third sector providers (MESMAC and Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland).

Gateshead Public Health are confident STFT will provide high quality, cost effective, easily accessible services that will help improve and maximise the sexual health and wellbeing of the local population.

• As part of the transition of Public Health into Local Authorities, sexual health commissioning is a mandatory function of the Council. After extensive service review of Public Health programmes it was identified that Sexual Health service provision should be made subject to an open procurement process.
• This review was undertaken with extensive consultation and engagement to identify areas of need, good service delivery and key areas for improvement.
• The service review together with a national integrated sexual health specification for clinical service delivery published in 2013, informed the future model of delivery.
• A full council procurement process was initiated in March 2014 to start April 1st 2015 on a 24 month contract with an option to extend for a further 24 months.
• Three applications were received. The successful tender was awarded to South Tyneside Foundation Trust. This was announced publicly 16th December 2014.
• South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust is the current provider which will allow a seamless transfer from the current configuration of the services into the new integrated model.  This should also provide stability for current service users accessing the service, with little disruption to their care. 
• The integrated sexual health service will act as the local health service leader and provide support and effective clinical governance systems for integrated sexual health across Gateshead. The service will also play a key role in helping develop care and referral pathways between community provider spokes e.g. GP’s and Community Pharmacies. The service will also lead on clinical workforce development across the locality to build capacity at all levels.
• Two other current providers will also be commissioned to continue their service in 2015/16, MESMAC and Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland
• Primary Care GP’s and Pharmacies will also continue to provide sexual health services across the borough. 
• The remaining current service providers will be subject to decommissioning These organisations are: NECA, Body Positive North East, Streetwise & First Contact Clinical
• Transition arrangements will be monitored via meetings that have been arranged between Public Health and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust throughout January to March 2015.