The Corporate Director for Adults, Health and Communities, Jason Strelitz, approved the expansion of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) access across North East London. This decision was made to address inequities in PrEP uptake and reduce HIV diagnoses within the region.

Expanding PrEP Access through Novel Delivery in North East London (ExPAND - NEL)

The council has approved the acceptance of £572,000 in grant funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) to implement the Expanding PrEP Access through Novel Delivery in North East London (ExPAND - NEL) pilot project. This initiative aims to increase awareness and uptake of PrEP, a medication that reduces the risk of HIV infection, particularly among underserved communities in North East London.

Currently, PrEP is primarily accessed through specialist sexual health clinics, which can be a barrier for certain groups, including Black African and Caribbean communities, who experience a disproportionately high number of new HIV diagnoses in Newham. The ExPAND-NEL project seeks to overcome these barriers by extending PrEP awareness, initiation, and continuation beyond specialist clinics. This will be achieved through a multi-faceted approach including:

• Targeted community outreach: Engaging under-represented groups through grassroots efforts.
• Workforce development: Training non-specialist healthcare staff to discuss and refer patients for PrEP.
• Digital PrEP service: Establishing a direct-to-consumer online platform for PrEP access, integrated with STI testing.
• Delivery in non-specialist settings: Piloting PrEP initiation and continuation in primary care, secondary care, and community locations.
• Strengthening specialist clinics: Enhancing existing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) clinics to manage more complex cases and interface with the digital pathway.

The project aligns with Newham's Health and Wellbeing Strategy, 50 steps to a Healthier Newham, which includes a commitment to increasing PrEP uptake among priority groups. The pilot is expected to reach up to 3,100 people, increasing PrEP coverage by 60% in North East London. The London Borough of Newham will act as the lead local authority, coordinating procurement and delivery on behalf of all North East London local authorities. The decision to accept the funding and proceed with the project was made by Jason Strelitz, Corporate Director for Adults, Health and Communities, on 17 April 2025. The decision can be implemented from 30 April 2025, following the end of the call-in period.