Purpose

The Cabinet Member for Public Health and
Wellbeing is asked to agree to the commencement of a procurement
process to secure the provision of Integrated Sexual Health
Services for the population of West Sussex.  As the current contract will conclude on 31 July
2026, the new service will be effective from 1st August
2026.
 
Under The Local Authorities Public Health
Regulations 2013, and in accordance with section 31 of the Local
Government Act 2003, ring-fenced Public Health Grant expenditure is
mandated to provide open access sexual health services. Local
Authority responsibilities include;
 
·      
advice on, and reasonable access to, a broad range of contraceptive
substances and appliances and advice on preventing unintended
pregnancy; sexually transmitted infections prevention, testing and
treatment, including notifying sexual partners of such infections,
the provision of Chlamydia screening for young people under the age
of 25 years, HIV testing and delivery of HIV pre-exposure
prophylaxis
·      
sexual health aspects of psychosexual counselling
·      
outreach and sexual health promotion
 
The Cabinet Member for Public Health and
Wellbeing is asked to delegate the contract award and any further
decisions about this contract, to the Director of Public Health in
consultation with the Cabinet Member.
 

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Public Health and
Wellbeing has approved that:
 
(1) 
a procurement exercise to secure a provider to deliver and lead the
Integrated Sexual Health Service in West Sussex be undertaken under
the Provider Selection Regime. The new contract will commence on 1
August 2026 for an initial period of 5 years with the option to
extend for up to 2 further years. The total value of the Contract
to the Council over the whole of the potential 7-year period is
estimated to be £31.85m;
 
(2) 
authority is delegated to the Director of Public Health to award
this contract on completion of the procurement exercise within the
parameters set out in the report; and
 
(3) 
authority is delegated to the Director of Public Health to extend
this contract on expiry of the initial period should this meet best
value and the requirements and expectations in relation to service
outcomes for residents.