Health services

Tender description

Commissioning intentions for a new Young People's Sexual Health Services in Waltham Forest. July 2016 to March 2018. Sexual health. Sexual ill health has broad social and economic costs for the individual and society. The prevention of sexual ill health has significant potential to improve overall health and reduce health inequalities. Across the UK there is a continuing rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Though improving, Waltham Forest has high levels of sexual ill-health and sexual risk taking behaviour. Stigma and embarrassment around accessing sexual health services are common though reducing. In addition, we know that many young people and young adults have a poor quality experience accessing GUM services around London, including in Waltham Forest where wait times at our GUM provision are high and off-putting. Reducing teenage pregnancies and providing Chlamydia testing and treatment services (15-24) are key core responsibilities; however we would like to broaden our offer to local young people and young adults to include testing for a range of STIs beyond just Chlamydia. We will be looking for creative approaches to increasing the rate and effectiveness of sexual health testing (i.e. positive test results) and rates of treatment in the borough. We are keen that these approaches are built on insight and understand of the preferences of young people. The budget envelope for this service is approximately 190 000 GBP per annum. Competitive bids will be expected. Desired Outcomes: — More 15-24 year olds in the borough will be testing for Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV — More 15-24 year olds in the borough will be accessing treatment for STIs as a result of testing — More partners of those with positive diagnoses will take up testing and / or treatment options — Young people and young adults will feel empowered to take an independent approach to their sexual health testing — Young people and young adults accessing the service will understand what steps they can take to improve and protect their sexual health in future — Young people and young adults will be able to independently access help around sexual health at times and via channels most appropriate to them — Key barriers that prevent young people from engaging with sexual health services will be identified and addressed — Online testing, result management and information services will be available for young people and young adults in the borough. Guidance on the nature of the service. We are interested in service models that: — Take an innovative approach to sexual health testing, utilising new technologies and new pathways to encourage independent action by young people, that help young people and young adults become independent, well and resilient patients of the future — Continue to allow young people to access testing or test kits in community locations such as GPs and Pharmacies — Maintain a continuously iterative approach to service development, learning from the feedback of young people to develop and improve the service throughout the delivery period — Form robust partnerships with existing council-commissioned and in-house services to increase uptake of the testing service e.g. school nurses, C-card service, young people's substance misuse service — Embrace opportunities to collaborate with best practise examples and existing local services to amplify the effectiveness of the approach — Take into account the variety of backgrounds and ages within the scope of the work and adapt approaches within the service accordingly — Employ robust arrangements for safeguarding — Can be easily evaluated for their effectiveness. Please note we are still in the process of developing the detail of these commissioning intentions. This document is intended to inform the market of our broad objectives, invite feedback on our approach and gauge interest from potential providers. Though we are not seeking formal proposals at this stage, we are interested in having more detailed discussions with providers as part of our ongoing market engagement. We will conduct informal conversations at Waltham Forest Town Hall on the morning of Thursday, 3.3.2016. Please email greg.winfield@walthamforest.gov.uk by Friday, 26.2.2016, if you would like to book a time to attend. A competitive process will take place in March/April 2016 for a July 2016 service start.