Sexual and reproductive health

With rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe, the need to address sexual and reproductive health across the UK is greater than ever. Investment in sexual health services can deliver significant healthcare savings through preventing unintended pregnancies; reducing the transmission of STIs and reducing long term sequelae associated with sexual ill-health. To date, sexual health services have generally operated in silo with traditional STI services led from acute trusts through genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics; contraception services provided through community ‘family planning clinics’ and abortion services through a combination of National Health Service (NHS) and independent providers. The NHS as we know it is changing and there is now a strong direction for the provision of holistic, joined-up sexual health services that incorporate services for the diagnosis, management and care of STIs/HIV, contraception and abortion services. Traditional STI (GUM) and contraception services are changing; not only in the way they operate but also the way in which they are now tendered for and monitored. More and more often we are now seeing collaboration and partnership working between the NHS and private and independent service providers to bid and operate these services. Integrating GUM services with related reproductive health services, such as those for the provision of contraception, provide a more holistic service for users.   With extensive technical and strategic expertise and experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health, Options UK was commissioned by the Department of Health's National Support Teams for Sexual Health and Teenage Pregnancy to write the national guidance Sexual Health Needs Assessments: A How To Guide in 2007. Options UK has a strong track record in conducting sexual health needs assessments nationally and have worked with over ten Primary Care Trusts to date to provide better local intelligence to assist them to better provide sexual health services. In Gateshead, we worked in partnership with Gateshead PCT to develop a blueprint for a new integrated sexual health service for the area. We have also worked with six PCTs across Teesside and the Teesside STI Services stakeholder group to inform the design of a new single-telephone access point into sexual health service. Options UK also reviewed all Marie Stopes UK clinical services across England, examining client pathways and the clinic environment and functionality for staff and clients to ensure the clinics are providing the highest quality service. Options UK can: Undertake rapid or comprehensive sexual health needs assessments, including bespoke assessments such as a review of long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) and chlamydia screening programmes Work with harder to reach groups to gains a better understanding of their needs Conduct a full service review including clinical premises, client pathways, staffing resources, access issues and operational issues Assist in the development of a blueprint for a local sexual health service, strategy and network