Agenda item

To receive a briefing paper from the Director of Public Health, that provides an update on the integrated sexual health services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

The Director of Public Health submitted a briefing paper that provided an update on the integrated sexual health services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Councillor Clarke, Deputy City Mayor with responsibility for the Environment, Public Health and Health Integration introduced the briefing paper and explained that for social and financial reasons they were looking to move the service out of St Peters Health Centre. Consideration was being given to a new centre which would be both discreet and accessible, but he was not in a position to give any further details at the moment due to commercial sensitivities.

Liz Rodrigo, the Public Health Lead Commissioner provided an overview of the consultation, which included an extra consultation due to an under representation of people from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community. The Chair commented that she was pleased that the further consultation with the BME community had taken place.  In respect of the consultation, a Member commented that she would have liked to have seen a breakdown of the responses along with some information as to where those people lived.

Concerns were expressed about confidentiality; people could go to St Peter’s Health Centre for a number of reasons, not just to access the sexual health services. It was questioned whether instead of having a separate location just offering a sexual health service; the service could be offered from an NHS building. The Public Health Lead Commissioner responded that they had looked at this but their investigations had shown that there wasn’t the space in any other NHS facilities. However, she added that people now were more open to issues around sexual health, but there was also the option for on-line kits for testing sexually transmitted infections.

A Member suggested that a suitable location for the sexual health service might be near the Blood Donor Centre on Vaughan Way; the Deputy City Mayor responded that they could check whether there was any suitable space there.  Reassurances were sought that there would be a smooth transition to the new site. The Commission heard that the contract for the current site ended in December 2018 and the aim was to have the new site appropriately refurbished before then. The Deputy City Mayor said that he would like bring this issue back to scrutiny. He envisaged that there would be a visit to the preferred site and subject to the Chair’s agreement, he would like the Scrutiny Commission Members to be invited. The Chair expressed the view that the Commission should support the Executive and officers in making this decision; there would be many issues to consider and she recognised that there may be some people who disagreed with the decision.  A Member commented that the decision needed to be transparent. The Chair commented that she understood that there were commercial sensitivities around the decision to be made.

In response to a question about self- service machines, Members heard that the machines would be linked to the user’s clinical records. In the beginning the machines would be on a site, such as a health centre, where they could be easily monitored. They could be moved out to more public places at a later date.  People would have to register to use the machines and anyone under age would be directed to clinicians.

Members were asked to note that sex education had also been commissioned, which would take place in schools.

The Chair drew the discussion to a close and asked for Members to note the report and for an update on the new location to be brought back to the Commission.

AGREED:

1)    that the report be noted: and

2)    that an update on the new location of the sexual health service to be brought back to the Commission.