AGENDA ITEM
REPORT TO
CHILDREN and YOUNG PEOPLE’S PARTNERSHIP
DATE 21st SEPTEMBER 2016
REPORT OF
TEES VALLEY PUBLIC HEALTH SHARED SERVICE
SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICE NEW CONTRACT 2016 - 2021
SUMMARY:
This paper provides a brief overview of the new sexual health service contract. It will focus on the new service model and the contract governance arrangements.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. To note the detail described in this paper.
2. To work with the Sexual Health Service.
DETAIL
Procurement
The new service contract, which started on 1st August 2016, was awarded after a rigorous evaluation process following an open tender procurement. Virgin Care Services Ltd (the incumbent provider) was awarded a 5 year contract (plus 2 x optional 24 month extensions) to provide Sexual Health Services across Teesside. The service is being jointly commissioned by Hartlepool Borough Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, NHS England, Hartlepool & Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group and South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group.
This joint commissioning arrangement means that the Sexual Health Service will be able to address all patient healthcare needs through fully integrated services and patients will be able to choose where to access care across Teesside.
Virgin Care Services Ltd are an experienced prime provider who will work with other providers including GPs, Pharmacies and frontline Public Health Services to ensure service provision reaches those who require healthcare, this includes prevention, identification and treatment. The new service will have a greater role in supporting the local population to maintain good sexual health, working particularly with young people and high risk groups.
The service aims to build on the high standard of services already available in Teesside; strengthen awareness of the services to support improvements in access; and improve people’s ability to manage their own health through easily accessible information so that people can make informed choices.
New Sexual Health Model
The award of a 5 year contract means the local population of Teesside will continue to receive high quality integrated sexual health services ensuring all aspects of sexual health including contraception and STI testing and treatment, are provided wherever possible from easily accessible ‘one stop’ clinic locations under robust clinical governance arrangements.
The Service will continue to operate a hub from Lawson Street but will be exploring other estate options for re-locating the hub for the following reasons:
· the current hub is considered not fit for purpose – the waiting room is too small and during busy clinics, patients are waiting on the staircase;
· easier to access – e.g. better parking;
· and offers best value for money.
Work to agree terms for a new spoke in Ingleby Barwick area still progressing.
Spoke clinics at Thornaby Health Centre and Billingham Health Centre will remain.
To address the lack of outreach in the past within Stockton, Virgin Care has subcontracted Brook, a national organisation who specialise in offering sexual health services to young people. Brook will be responsible for:
· supporting C-card and integrating with local C-Card schemes (for ages 13-24yrs);
· integrating with pharmacy chlamydia screening;
· working with the local authority to provide Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) delivered in schools to include peer group working, and to deliver low level (Level 1) contraception services, e.g. chlamydia screening and condom distribution;
· delivering educational and wellbeing programmes in schools and colleges;
· working with services to promote wellbeing messages where young people who no longer attend school spend their time, including NEET and EOTAS support provision;
· developing appropriate service pathways that ensure young people have quick and appropriate access to sexual health support services;
· helping young people to make positive and healthy lifestyle choices;
· improving young people’s personal health and emotional wellbeing;
· and training school nurses to deliver consistent SH messages across the borough.
Brook will have access to Blythe Lilie (the IT system used by the service) via mobile technology – enabling a complete patient record to be built up.
Terence Higgins Trust (THT) will be subcontracted to work with hard to reach groups – MSM, BME etc. They will also provide Point of Care Testing (POCT), outreach, increasing HIV testing and raising awareness of HIV prevention.
GP subcontracts will be re-modelled to allow for Inter Practice Referrals which will strengthen both the quality and range of services offered.
Subcontracted Pharmacies will continue to deliver chlamydia testing, emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) and C-Card. In addition, in year two of the contract a small number of targeted pharmacies will be offered an enhanced subcontract offering quick start contraception, POCT, chlamydia / gonorrhoea screening and pregnancy testing.
Vasectomy Services, the commissioning responsibility of the CCGs, will be provided by Marie Stopes under a subcontracting arrangement.
The service is also developing a virtual hub, a digital innovation which will provide a platform for improved patient access and experience. It will ensure 24 hour access to support services and information 365 days of the year. Patients will be able to book an appointment and order home testing kits. It will also deflect some level 1-2 activity, e.g. information and guidance and chlamydia home testing kits, away from the hub (the worried well) and improve DNA rates, so clinical facing time is prioritised to those who need it most.
An Out of Hours telephone service will be provided by Marie Stopes operating from 5pm to 8am Monday to Friday.
Governance Arrangements
Fortnightly mobilisation meetings were held with the service and Tees Valley Public Health Shared Service (TVPHSS). Quarterly updates are provided to the Contract Mobilisation Team (formerly the Sexual Health Service Review and Re-procurement Group). Members include the sexual health leads from each Local Authority, NHSE and the two local CCGs - Hartlepool & Stockton-on-Tees CCG and South Tees CCG.
Following the commencement of the new contract from 1st August 2016; quarterly meetings will take place with the Sexual Health Strategic Leads Group (LA representatives) and the Sexual Health Collaborative Commissioners Group to oversee governance of the contract.
In addition, TVPHSS will hold bi-monthly Contract Review meetings with the provider to manage the day-to-day contract.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The new 5 year contract is expected to save the 4 Local Authorities in excess of £1.4m over 5 years. The new contract sees a 7.4% efficiency saving realised on the total contract value reducing it to £3,660,488 from over £3.9m. Based on the Tees risk share agreement in place (Hartlepool 17%, Stockton 31%, Middlesbrough 28% and Redcar & Cleveland 24%.) Stockton Borough Council’s annual contribution reduces from £1,212,152 to £1,134,751.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
At present there are no legal implications anticipated.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Having a sexual health provider delivering integrated contraception and genito-urinary medicine (GUM) mitigates the risk for Stockton Borough Council to have in place a mandated open- access sexual health service.
CONSULTATION
A full public consultation took place to support the design of the new Sexual Health service delivery model.
Sexual Health service staff received regular updates during service mobilisation.
A comprehensive marketing and communication plan is being monitored for informing the local population of changes to service provision locations.
Name of Contact Officer: Jacky Booth
Post Title: Contract Manager, TVPHSS
Telephone No: (01642) 745183
Email address:
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