Miscellaneous health services

Tender description

The service will provide a locally accessible, effective, first point of contact for harm reduction initiatives for individuals misusing drugs and alcohol. The service will offer sustainable harm reduction initiatives including thorough blood borne virus provision, needle exchange for opiate users, steroid needle exchange pilot, Naloxone and respond with effective harm reduction interventions to address emerging harms associated with new drug misusing trends and patterns. These interventions will be carried out within both an agency and community setting utilising an ‘opt out’ ethos to ensure those at risk prevent harming themselves and others. Peer support and a buddy system should be utilised throughout all stages to improve uptake of all harm reduction initiatives. In addition, the service will provide assertive outreach, ensuring all Horizon drug and alcohol and Hep C clients re-engage and are motivated to access treatment. The service will offer a safe, non-judgemental environment in which all adults can address the harms caused by their problematic and dependent drug and alcohol use. This service will also provide non-clinical, coordinated support for individuals who are living with/are affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C: sex workers: the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community; populations at high risk of poor sexual health for example sex workers and men who have sex with men (MSM). Non-clinical sexual health support will be offered by way of outreach working, development and coordination of STI screening (to include Hep C testing for sex workers) through self test kits provided by the specialist sexual health services and syphilis/HIV point of care testing, through kits provided by this service, sexual health education including the promotion of long acting reversible contraception, condom distribution, peer support programmes, support groups (including supportive activities such as befriending) and harm minimisation. The service will provide a responsive, professional and independent counselling service for those living with and affected by HIV and survivors of sexual violence and will ensure that appropriate non-clinical support in all areas, e.g. benefits, housing, is available to all accessing the service.