A new £3.9m contract to deliver sexual health services in the region has been awarded to a local health partnership.
The Tees Alliance Partnership, which is led by University Hospitals Tees, Hartlepool and Stockton Health and ELM GP Federation, will provide services including clinics on a referral and drop in basis to offer advice, testing and contraceptives.
Matthew Wynne, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust care group director, said: “We’re delighted to have been selected to deliver this key service.
“Working in partnership is core to our ethos and will put us at the heart of the community so we can effectively deliver this much needed service.
“We have the expertise and commitment to successfully run Teesside’s sexual health services to offer more access than ever, responding in a timely way to different needs at different times in people’s lives, to help our community to live healthy sexual and reproductive lives.”
The service will use the existing bases in Middlesbrough (Live Well Centre) and Redcar (Leisure and Community Heart Building), with the current bases in Hartlepool and Stockton expected to move premises in the coming months.
Each hub will serve as a centre for local outreach programmes and services delivered within their respective communities and will be supported by 70 GP practices and approximately 100 community pharmacies across the region.
A new easy-to-navigate website and telephone line will also be launched, providing instant access to sexual health information and advice.
Vicky Holt, director of nursing from Hartlepool and Stockton Health, commented:
“We’re excited to be able to support people across Teesside with high-quality, compassionate sexual health care.
“This contract is an opportunity to work with our partners to make sure local care provision is inclusive, innovative, and truly meets the needs of our local communities.
“Above all, we want to help people to take control of their sexual and reproductive health with confidence.”
David Royal, medical director for ELM GP Federation said “ELM are proud to have been awarded the contract to deliver an integrated sexual health service across Teesside in collaboration with our partners. This development marks a significant step forward in our collective efforts to address long-standing health inequalities and improve outcomes in sexual and reproductive health across the region.
The new service model, centred around accessibility, integration, and community engagement, will enable us to provide high-quality, evidence-based care that is responsive to the diverse needs of our population. By establishing community contraception hubs and enhancing service pathways, we aim to promote early intervention, support informed choice, and reduce barriers to essential services.
“We look forward to working closely with our partner organisations, member practices, primary care networks and other stakeholders to deliver a service that is clinically effective, safe, sustainable and person-centred.”