BHCC RP Integrated Sexual Health & Contraception Services

Description

The Integrated Sexual Health and Contraception (SHAC) Service will provide patients with open access to confidential, non-judgmental services including sexually transmitted infection (STI) and blood borne virus (BBV) testing, treatment and management, the full range of contraception provision, health promotion and prevention. The service will improve the sexual health of the local population through delivery of a 'one stop shop' model, where the majority of sexual health and contraceptive needs can be met in one place, usually by one professional, during a single visit. Sexual health is not equally distributed across the population and the service will ensure that it meet the needs of those experiencing the greatest impact of STIs, HIV and poor reproductive health as well as removing barriers to access for vulnerable groups and those with protected characteristics. The service must integrate with the NHS commissioned HIV treatment and care service to support the significant interdependencies between the two services. Providers must be experienced, with access to a large pool of NHS qualified medical/nursing staff. Providers must have suitable, accessible building premises in the east, west and central areas of Brighton and Hove. Lot 1: This notice is an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process. Brighton and Hove City Council is responsible for the provision of self-referral, open access sexual health services for residents and visitors to the City. This includes testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and partner notification, advice on, and reasonable access to, the full range of contraception, and advice on preventing unplanned pregnancy. This service model aims to improve sexual health by providing non-judgmental and confidential services through open access, where the majority of sexual health and contraceptive needs can be met at once, often by one health professional, in services with extended opening hours (evenings and weekends) offering face to face, remote and online services, and locations which are accessible by public transport. The service model aims to improve sexual health by providing non-judgmental and confidential services through open access, where the majority of sexual health and contraceptive needs can be met at once, often by one health professional, in services with a mix of provision types (e.g. - booked clinic, walk-in, sit and wait, outreach) and extended opening hours (evenings after 6pm and weekends) and locations which are accessible by public transport. This should be supported by remote and online provision. Providers must work to develop partnership working with community organisations to support the needs of under-served populations. The service must integrate with the NHS commissioned HIV treatment and care service to support the significant interdependencies between the two services. We require an experienced service Provider with a large pool of NHS qualified medical/nursing staff able to deliver a high-quality service using the national sexual and reproductive health service standards from the relevant professional bodies including the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health (FSRH), and the British HIV Association (BHIVA) to achieve good patient outcomes. All staff delivering the service must, as a minimum, meet the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) and the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) service standards on education, training and clinical practice. • must comply with the FSRH and BASHH standards on training and competency. • support undergraduate and/or postgraduate teaching. • offer placements for medical and nursing students. • Ensure nursing staff are dual trained in STI and contraception at appropriate levels • ensure staff have access to training on safeguarding, CSE, domestic and sexual violence and abuse, female genital mutilation, drugs and alcohol misuse, trauma informed practice. • Provide disability awareness training to ensure that service users who may require additional support in accessing services are supported. • Ensure staff training in mandatory organisational training is undertaken and recorded. • Ensure that all medical and nursing staff have regular clinical supervision and CPD plans in place. This notice is an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process. The approximate lifetime value of this contract is £25.3m. This is an existing service with the existing provider. The contract will commence on 1st April 2026 and will end on 31st March 2032 (including the possible 2 year extension.)