Councils and a health service provider have joined forces to tackle the issue of sexual health across the county.
Councillors have agreed to re-commission the Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health Treatment Services as a shared service across Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council.
This will be through an agreement with the current provider of the services, Cambridgeshire Community Services. The agreement – known as a Section 75 agreement - has a total value of £36,112,278 over six years.
Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 allows partners such as NHS bodies and local authorities to work together to commission health or social care related services.
Members of the council’s adults and health committee agreed the recommendation when they met today (June 27).
The provision of sexual health services is a mandatory Public Health function for local authorities. Robust sexual health services enable sexually transmitted infections to be treated promptly to reduce the risk of their spread.
This is especially important as rates of sexually transmitted infections have increased considerably both nationally and in Cambridgeshire over the past few years. This service is critical for helping to reduce the spread of infection by offering easily accessible services.
The new service will also have a prevention function that will promote sexual and reproductive health prevention messages in a range of settings, run campaigns, and other promotional activities.
It will play a key role in working with high-risk and often under-served population groups such as the gypsy traveller communities and the homeless, along with supporting those living with HIV around their mental and physical health, socio-economic issues, and coping with stigma.
Val Thomas, acting director of public health in Cambridgeshire said: “I am delighted that the committee has agreed to recommission this service. The new service will play a key role in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections through offering access to prompt treatment alongside work to prevent infections and unplanned pregnancies.”
