One stop sexual health shops planned for Mansfield and Ashfield

Residents will benefit from an improved Integrated Sexual Health Service following the award of a new contract approved by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Public Health Committee.

The service will be delivered in Ashfield, Mansfield, and Newark and Sherwood from April 1, 2016, by Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust.

The new free and confidential service will improve sexual health by providing open access to sexual health promotion, information and advice, contraception, including emergency contraception and pregnancy testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Councillor Joyce Bosnjak, Chair of the Public Health Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Good sexual health is an important aspect of health and wellbeing and improving sexual health outcomes remains a public health priority for the county. I look forward to ensuring we work with Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust to deliver the very best integrated sexual health services for residents across Nottinghamshire.

“I’m delighted that the views of the public, including service users, have been instrumental in helping shape and influence the development of the new service.

“As part of the county’s commitment to addressing health inequalities the service will be focused on ensuring all residents, including those most at risk of sexual ill-health, have access to services that continue to deliver the very best outcomes for them.”

Services will be available at accessible locations in ‘one-stop shops’, where the majority of contraceptive and sexual health needs will be met by an integrated team of professionals.

This will allow residents to access advice, contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted infections in a single visit instead of making separate visits.