One-stop shop for sexual health services to launch
People living in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will soon be able to benefit from a one-stop-shop sexual health service.
The new service will ensure everyone has access to the same level of service, regardless of where they live. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) will deliver the service in partnership with Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust (SFHT), and supported by a health provider, Preventx.
In a joint statement, NUH and SFHT said: “We look forward to working collaboratively to develop the current sexual health service into an even better one for all our citizens. There will be a single brand, a new website, online testing and clinic-based services, with health promotion and outreach across the city and county, which will make accessing care easier. There are a lot of good things to come.”
The free and confidential Integrated Sexual Health Service - funded and commissioned by Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Council’s Public Health services – will launch in October.
It will increase its health promotional/educational work and offer targeted outreach support to the most vulnerable/those at greater risk. A single, dedicated website will enable people to access services more easily - including GPs, pharmacies, and other relevant services - and they will be able to choose face-to-face appointments, walk-ins, or online consultations.
Coun Scott Carlton, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “Good sexual health is an important aspect of health and wellbeing, and improving sexual health outcomes remains a public health priority. As part of our joint commitment to addressing health inequalities, the Integrated Sexual Health Service will focus on ensuring all residents, including those most at risk of sexual ill-health, have access to services that continue to deliver the very best outcomes for them.”
Coun Woodings, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care & Health at Nottingham City Council, added: “Sexual health is an important part of overall health at all ages. The service will focus on prevention and education to make it easier for people, especially those at higher risk of poor sexual health outcomes, to get the information and support they need on their sexual and reproductive health.”