Issue - meetings

    Report by Executive Director Carlton Brand.

Cllr Laura Mayes – Cabinet Member for Adult Social care, Public Health and Public Protection, presented a report recognising the requirement to commission an integrated sexual health and contraceptive service for Wiltshire residents.

Cllr Mayes explained that Wiltshire Council is the statutory commissioner of a comprehensive integrated sexual health service including contraception services and sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing and treatment. An integrated community-based specialist sexual health and contraceptive service model aims to improve sexual health by providing easy access to high quality services through open access clinics, where sexual health and contraceptive needs can be met in services with extended opening hours and accessible locations.

The Cabinet noted that the Service provided a range of vital interventions via clinics and outreach provision to meet the needs of specific sections of the community based on the Wiltshire JSNA and information held by the Public Health team within Wiltshire Council.

Cllr Chuck Berry, Chairman of the Health Select Committee confirmed the he and the Vice-Chairman of the Select Committee had received a briefing on the requirement to commission an integrated sexual health and contraceptive service for Wiltshire residents, and that information had been provided to the Select Committee at its meeting held on 3^rd September 2019 as a Chairman’s announcement. He confirmed that the proposals were acceptable to the Committee.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Chairman of the Trustees of Young Melksham, commented on the potential of the sexual health nurses being commissioned to work directly with community groups and asked for this to be considered further when recommissioning the contract.    

The Cabinet noted that financial information in relation to the service provision and contracts was attached as an exempt document.

Resolved: 

1.    Recognise the requirement to commission an integrated sexual health and contraceptive service for Wiltshire residents.

2.    Issue a Prior Information Notification to test the market to see whether there is interest in the service or capability of providers in the market to deliver the service. And if there is no interested providers or providers with the capability, give officers approval to negotiate the contract with the incumbent provider.

3.    Agree to delegate responsibility to tender, commission, negotiate and award the contract (as appropriate) to the Director of Public Health and in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Public Protection.

Reason for Decision:

The commissioning of sexual health and contraceptive health services is a prescribed (statutory) public health function and is funded via the public health grant which is under the responsibility of the Director of Public Health. Delegating responsibility for contract award reduces award delay and negates the potential for gap in service delivery.