YorSexualHealth – Stakeholder Briefing – June 2015

From 1st July 2015 new integrated sexual health services called “YorSexualHealth” will be delivered across York and North Yorkshire, and will replace all previous service provision commissioned by the Local Authorities.

This is the new Integrated Sexual Health Service that NYCC has commissioned York FT to provide. NYCC will continue to contract directly with community pharmacies and GP practices to provide access to sexual health services in primary care.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded contracts by North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council to deliver integrated services, and will be subcontracting with MESMAC, North Yorkshire Aids Action and local GP’s to deliver elements of service provision.

Access to services will be improved through the introduction of a new single booking system (see booking services below). In addition, from 1st July there will no longer be ‘standalone’ Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) or Contraception (CaSH) clinics, but instead all sexual health clinics will offer a full range of sexual health and contraceptive services, meaning that more people will be able to have all their needs met in one place.

The new services will deliver community outreach interventions to most at risk populations, in order to provide easy access to information, support, HIV and STI testing, contraception and free condoms. They will also include the provision of a range of support for people living with HIV and their carers.

Information about services
Details of services will be available on our website www.yorsexualhealth.org.uk including venues, times and the range of services available at each clinic. Please note that there may be some changes to clinics over the next few months, as we continue to engage with the public and stakeholders to ensure that the locations and services available meet the needs for local people.

Sexual health services for the Military population will be provided through targeted local services, along with outreach chlamydia screening and point of care HIV testing.

Please refer to our website for up-to-date details. We do not recommend printing out clinic schedules at this time, as these may be subject to change.

Accessing services
People will be able to access advice and book appointments by phoning 01904 721111. Full details will be available on the website www.yorsexualhealth.org.uk

The new service will also offer “virtual” clinics, providing telephone consultations, postal tests and treatments.

Please note that the Harrogate NHS Foundation Trust booking line 01423 553373 will cease to be operational from 1st July.

Information for professionals
The YorSexualHealth website is being developed to include a ‘professionals arm’ www.yorsexualhealth.org.uk/professionals. The site will include information on:

  • sexual health resources– downloadable national and local resources for  patients/service users
  • training – details of training programme, online booking and online training packages
  • referrals – referral criteria and online referrals for the integrated service, specialist clinical outreach team and counselling services
  • ordering – online ordering of condoms (condom distribution service) and Chlamydia screening programme resources
  • research and clinical information – current topics and guidelines
  • primary care – partnership working developments

Clinical support
From 1st July our YSH ‘clinician of the day’ will be available to talk to professionals about any clinical concerns or queries they may have. A ‘duty nurse’ will also be available to discuss any sexual health issues and will be able to help facilitate access to the appropriate clinic for individual patients/service users.

They can be contacted by phone on 01904 72111 (dedicated extension for advice), or by email yorsexualhealth@york.nhs.uk.

When sending emails to this address, or using our ‘contact us’ form (www.yorsexualhealth.org.uk/contact_us), please do not include any patient identifiable information.

Further bulletins
As the service develops we will continue to produce briefings which we think you will find helpful.  These will include information on:

  • Condom Distribution Service
  • Chlamydia Screening Programme
  • Clinical networks
  • Training Programme
  • Referrals
  • YorSexualHealth Primary Care Partnerships

If you would like to contact us please email yorsexualhealth@york.nhs.uk or phone 01904 721111.