A JOINT sexual health service for Teesside has been given an approval to be continued beyond 2016.
A meeting of Middlesbrough Council’s Executive has agreed to recommendations that the authority maintains its commitment to a collaborative commissioning model between the four local authorities.
The existing joint approach across Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar & Cleveland and Hartlepool has seen a decrease in sexually transmitted infections across the area in the past year, and are below the national average.
Cllr Mick Thompson, Executive Member for Communities and Public Health, said: “This is something we have been tackling for a while with some success and we have seen a decrease over the past year both in Middlesbrough and across the Tees Valley.
“The Tees arrangements enable the service to continue to provide an open access integrated model of delivery allowing local residents to access services in any of the four local authority areas.
“This allows confidential access to sexual health services, increases patient choice and makes efficient use of the resources on a risk share arrangement.”
The Executive agreed to recommendations to maintain the joint approach upto and beyond July 2016.
The Tees-wide service was introduced in 2010 and the commissioning of sexual health services became the responsibility of local authorities in 2013.
The contract value for the service is £3.9m and Middlesbrough Council’s contribution is £1.1m, which is funded through the authority’s Public Health grant.