Purpose

In 2020, Cabinet agreed that Newham Council
could establish a Framework on behalf of Local Authorities across
north east London (NEL) for the provision of services to support
residents with HIV (e.g. practical, emotional and social support)
alongside targeted prevention activity (i.e. screening, outreach,
engagement and communications). This Framework and associated
contracts are due to expire in May 2025.
 
The existing services deliver positive
outcomes and offer good value for money
.
 
A new Framework is therefore required and
Newham Council, as the lead of the Sexual Health Shared
Commissioning Service, is the logical choice to lead this
procurement exercise on behalf of Local Authorities and health
partners across NEL.
 
Decisions required:
 
1. 
Establish and maintain an Open Access Framework for HIV Prevention
& Support Services for up to eight years on behalf of all Local
Authorities and Health Partners across London. 
2.  Commence
the registration process for providers to join the Framework.
3.  Delegate
authority to the Corporate Director for Adults, Health and
Communities to approve the registration of suitably qualified
providers onto the Framework.

Decision

Decision
 
For the reasons set
out in the report and its appendices Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree:
 

i) 
To establish and maintain a Framework for HIV Prevention &
Support Services for up to eight years on behalf of all Local
Authorities and Health Partners across London. (The intention is
for the Framework to be accessible to all Local Authorities,
Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs), Integrated Care Boards (ICBs),
Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) and NHS Trusts across the whole of
London (or future equivalent bodies in the event of
re-structures).

ii) 
Commence the registration process for providers to join the
Framework.

iii) 
Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Adults, Health and
Communities to approve the registration of suitably qualified
providers onto the Framework.

 
Alternatives
Considered
 

a) 
Commissioners are acutely aware of the financial pressures
currently faced by the Council and the need to seek efficiencies.
As such, an Options Appraisal was conducted that sought to
understand and summarise the implications for Newham Council of
reduced funding or no funding within this service area. This work
will be used to inform the upcoming Spending Control Review.

b) 
Commissioners have also considered whether a specific Framework for
HIV Prevention & Support was necessary – i.e. could the
health inequalities associated with rising cases of HIV (and
especially late diagnosis) be mitigated through existing
‘mainstream’ services? Commissioners concluded 8 that
(separate to the issue of funding) there was a valid case for
specific HIV Prevention & Support services, for the following
reasons:

1. 
Many PLWHIV have experienced stigma when dealing with mainstream
‘support’ services (e.g. advocacy, debt advice,
counselling) and may therefore be less likely to engage with them
in the future.

2. 
 HIV is a complex illness and there is
value attached to the specialised nature of knowledge among staff
in this sector. For example, adherence to anti-retroviral therapy
(ART) can prove challenging for many people (especially non-English
speakers) for various reasons, but it is vital as a way of reducing
the risk of onward transmission. This point overlaps with;

3. 
Staff mix: the CVFS staff in this sector often have lived
experience of HIV, which means that they literally and figuratively
speak the same language as residents LWHIV. Mainstream services
could not offer this.

4. 
There are no mainstream services that could achieve the level of
access achieved by established specialist providers in this area
when it comes to preventing HIV through targeted outreach and
screening programmes in locations such as saunas, sex work venues
and hostels (among others).