Report to:	Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health
Date of meeting:	22 March 2022
By:	Director of Public Health
Title:	Recommissioning of Specialist Sexual Health Services (SSHS)
Purpose:	To appraise the Lead Member of the options available for Specialist Sexual Health Services (SSHS) provision

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Lead Member is recommended to:

(1) agree to extend the current contract for Specialist Sexual Health Services (SSHS) by at least six months; and

(2) delegate authority to the Director of Public Health to negotiate and finalise the terms of the extension and to take all necessary actions to give effect to the implementation of recommendation 1.

1. Background

1.1 Specialist Sexual Health Services (SSHS) are currently provided by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT). The current contract started on the 1 April 2016 with an end date of 31 March 2021 which included a two-year extension. The COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020, and it was quickly realised that this would derail any new procurement timetable. Under new Government procurement guidance, emergency extensions were put in place up to 30 September 2022.

1.2 SSHS have been redesigned and subjected to formal consultation. The redesign focused on a shift to online provision and the consultation response was positive. The SSHS contract was advertised as another 3 years + 2 years contract.

1.3 Procurement for the new SSHS from September 2022 was, and is, in collaboration with NHS England Specialist Contracts (NHSE). This approach meets with national guidance.

2. Supporting information

2.1 The new SSHS contract was advertised between October and December 2021. No bids were received despite substantial interest expressed during the market engagement events. There is a statutory duty to ensure these services continue to be delivered without interruption.

2.2 National guidance states that procurement exercises should be undertaken in collaboration with the NHS who hold the HIV treatment and Care and prison SSH service contracts, that must be provided by the same team. Non-compliance with this national guidance could lead to Judicial Review. NHSE have indicated an  agreement in principle to the recommendation to negotiate a contract extension

2.3 The Lead Member is recommended to agree to delegate authority to the Director of Public Health for the final negotiated extension length.

3. Conclusion and recommendations

3.1 The Lead Member is recommended to agree to extend the current ESHT SSHS contract. The period of extension will be negotiated. The advantages of the extension are that it will enable (a) a service resource review; and (b) time to reassess the market.

DARRELL GALE

Director of Public Health

Contact Officer: Tony Proom, Strategic Commissioning Manager – Sexual Health
Email: tony.proom@eastsussex.gov.uk