Sexual Health Service Consultation 2020

The Consultation is now closed for submissions. 

Update 24th September 2020 

Key Findings and Themes Summary – September 2020 

Summary
The Southend Sexual Health Service provides confidential open access services including: testing, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), contraception choices, pregnancy testing, sexual health promotion and HIV awareness and training.

The current Southend Sexual Health Service contract is due to end on the 31st March 2021. To support the recommissioning of the new service the Council carried out a residents and professionals consultation from 21st April to 24th August 2020, to find out how the service could improve its access especially for our local priority groups including; homeless people, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ+) people, sex-workers and young people.

Survey interaction

The consultation was delivered through Your Say Southend, the Council’s consultation website: https://yoursay.southend.gov.uk/sexual-health-service-consultation-20201

The survey was completed by 260 residents and 23 professionals. The survey did not include mandatory fields meaning that the level of participation varied as some people answered all the questions through to the end of the survey and some questions were left un-answered. The survey was advertised online through websites, social media, the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), corporate and organisational newsletters. Targeted engagement activities took place with specific local priority groups including homeless people, LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people,

Themes: What should be the priorities for the a future Southend Sexual Health Service?

Below are the key themes captured from people’s responses to the multiple choice, open text questions in the survey:

·Central Southend service location

·Reduced waiting times

·Flexible appointment times

(including evenings & weekends)

·More inclusive approach

·Secure and confidential service

·Client satisfaction

·Easily accessible service

·Online appointments & testing

What did participants think a future Southend Sexual Health Service should focus on?

Consulting during Covid-19

·Due to the pandemic spread of Covid -19 in the UK, the lockdown period from mid-March 2020, may have contributed to a reduced engagement with the survey during spring 2020. The Council was also unable to carry out many face-to-face activities which included; focus groups and specific events which may have seen greater participation from our local priority groups.

·To reduce the risk of our local priority groups being under-represented the resident's survey was further extended to encourage a greater response from our more vulnerable residents.

·As online surveys were the main method used, there will have been lower engagement from those who are unable to, or would rather not use IT, such as tablets, phones and laptops. However, paper leaflets and surveys were made available for those who requested them.

·The leaflets produced were circulated to local partners who engage with local priority groups. These stakeholders included Everyone Health, The Storehouse, Terrence Higgins Trust, HARP, SAVS and A Better Start Programme,

Demographics data - Citizens survey

We gave participants the option to share some additional information about themselves.

These questions included open text responses so that respondents were able to self-describe.

Adults over the age of 50 (18.5% of respondents) found it difficult to access services and felt embarrassed to ask.

Participants said they did not know where to go for particular sexual health services to meet their needs and that there was a need to undertake more marketing and specific promotion activities.

26.7% of participants said they had a disability, and therefore wider access to services should be considered.

The demographic questions in the survey were not compulsory and therefore won't be truly representative of everyone who participated in the survey. Only of those who agreed to answer the additional questions.

A graph showing Key information captured from survey

Consultation findings and feedback

·There were many detailed responses from participants to the survey questions, which have been used to influence the writing of the Service Specification when designing the ambitions for the new service.

·A significant percentage of participants noted that better access to services was a key feature needed. This included the service being located in a central location and flexible appointments being available evenings and weekends.

·Customer experience was highlighted by many as a necessity for the service. Participants feeling comfortable and being treated with dignity, respect and in a confidential manner were highlighted.

·Participants indicated that digital platforms would be a beneficial addition to the service model. This included the ability to book, cancel and edit appointments online as well as ordering home testing kits online rather than having to attend the clinic.

·Participants advised the need for drop in services where specific items can be collected without a formal appointment.

·The need for shorter wait times for sexual health services was highlighted as an important feature in the professional responses.

Next Steps

·The themes captured in the free text responses have been incorporated into the re-design of the new Southend sexual health service specifications.

·Those who completed the survey highlighted areas for service re-design and these will be considered during the re-commissioning of the new Southend sexual health service.

·This report has also been made available for potential bidders to review and consider when responding to questions around how they can deliver the new Southend sexual health service that is due to commence from 1st April 2021.

A full version of the summary report can be downloaded from this page.

Please contact: Yvonne Powell (Prevention and Location Commissioning Manager) at Integratedcommissioning@southend.gov.uk if you have any questions about this consultation or the sexual health service