New £2.4million sexual health service to combat sexually transmitted infections

Islington Council has awarded Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) a £2.4million a year contract to transform sexual health services in the borough.

 

The new services, which will launch in July, aim to bring down rates of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies, and make services more accessible in Islington. CNWL will increase the range of sexual health services available, including contraception, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV testing and diagnosis, as well as sexual health outreach and health promotion. Clinics will be open for longer hours, including at weekends, will be conveniently located with good transport connections, and will work with other local services such as pharmacies and GPs.

 

The new contract is part of a unique London-wide programme to change the capital’s sexual health services for the better. The need for sexual health services in London is significantly higher than the rest of the country, which has the highest rates of HIV and STIs in the country. Islington has one of the highest rates of HIV and STIs in London.

 

Islington’s services will also work closely with a new London-wide online sexual health service, which will roll out from this summer, providing information, assessment and signposting to sexual health and related services, including access to self-sampling HIV and STI kits for people who are not symptomatic.

 

Cllr Janet Burgess, Executive member for health and wellbeing, said: “Islington has worked together with 31 other London authorities to change sexual health services for the better.

 

“Local clinics will be open for longer hours and at weekends, and will offer a new ‘one stop shop’ integrated sexual health service offering both contraception and services for sexually transmitted infections and HIV. We’re excited about the potential for London’s new sexual health offer to empower service users to take charge of their health and wellbeing, with local clinic services working closely with the new online service to improve access and convenience for residents.

 

“In terms of sheer scale, this London-wide work is a unique achievement and shows how councils can work together to respond innovatively to London’s public health challenges.”

 

Mark Maguire, CNWL Sexual Health Service Director, said: “We’re pleased to be working with local councils to deliver a modern service across North London that is quick and easy to access. Our services provide a one stop shop for people wanting sexual health treatment and/or contraception. We will also focus on prevention and increasing the uptake of Long Action Reversible Contraception (LARC). To support this we will have two specialist centres, Mortimer Market Centre and The Archway Centre, and we’ll also be offering services in community settings that may be more convenient to access.”

 


For further information please contact:

Peter Morgan
Senior Media Officer
Islington Council
Upper Street, London, N1 2UD
Tel: 020 7527 8004
Alternative contact: Media line 020 7527 2307
www.islington.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter @IslingtonBC and @IslingtonLife

 


Notes to editors

 NOTES TO EDITOR

  • Islington has led the procurement of sexual health services in North Central London, working together with Barnet, Camden and Haringey, to commission new transformed sexual health services across the sub-region.

  • The service will provide an integrated, or ‘one stop shop’, sexual health service covering sexual health promotion, services for sexually transmitted infections and contraception, delivered by two hubs, providing more specialised as well as the full range of routine sexual health services, together with a number of satellite services across the sub-region. Islington’s hub service will continue to be based at Archway, and there will be a new satellite service planned for the south of the borough.

  • There will continue to be a specialist contraception service for women, which will be based in neighbouring Camden.

  • Clinics in Islington and across North Central London will encourage online self-serve, by offering patients the opportunity to do an online assessment and self-sample. Patients who are eligible for the on-line service and who are diagnosed with an STI by the on-line service will be offered an appointment at local clinics within one working day or will be fast tracked if they present to a walk-in service. Anyone who requires face-to-face support will still be able to access it.

  • In 2015, the rate of sexually transmitted infections in Islington was 2,266 per 100,000 population, above the London average (1,606) and one of the highest in the country (average 815). The rate of all diagnosed HIV (which includes people with longer term HIV diagnoses as well as new diagnoses during 2015) was 8.25 per 1,000 adults aged 15-59 in 2015 in Islington, compared with an average 5.83 in London and 2.26 across England. 

  • We will continue to ensure strong clinical governance, safeguarding and quality assurance arrangements are in place for open access services.

 

Contact information

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