The Committee will receive an update on the Sexual Health Service in Reading.

The Committee received a presentation from Dr Emma Wainwright, Co-Clinical Lead and Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV at the Florey Clinic, Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The presentation outlined the services provided by the Florey Clinic as a multi-faceted integrated sexual health service.  The clinic offered Genitourinary Medicine (GUM), contraception, HIV care, psychosexual counselling, home testing and health advisory, outreach and safeguarding services.

The presentation included the following points:

·       The clinic was the most research active Sexual Health site in the Thames Valley including the MSD study of Islatravir and Doravirine, Positive Voices questionnaire study, Emergency department BBV testing study , Halo Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). Also an undergraduate and postgraduate training site.

·       Changing complexity and changes: new BASH PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) guidelines in 2025, injectable PrEP, injectable antiretroviral therapy for HIB, DoxyPEP available soon in clinic.

·       PrEP on Wheels, PrEP for all: project funded by Gilead to promote PrEP creating awareness and knowledge.

·       Changing STI prevalence and complexity: Data from national and local sources showed varying rates of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. Reading data was comparatively high compared to other local areas however it was noted that this was stable.

·       HIV Patient Caseload: The number of patients living with HIV was increasing, was a highly complex area of work and used a large amount of clinician time as proportion of patients were classed as complex.

·       STI Chlamydia testing: The number of people screened who were aged under 25 had increased which was a positive result.

·       Service users who were seen within two working days: The percentage of people was high and had improved.

·       Service users offered and tested for HIV: The percentage of people who had accepted a HIV test at the service had increased. It was noted that this was part of the government's plan for ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.

·       Vulnerable Outreach Services:  Outreach nurses attended home, school or any convenient place to provide care. Example of users included vulnerable people under 18 who could struggle to attend clinic, people in contact with social care, substance misuse and commercial sex workers.

The Committee made comments, asked questions and received responses on supporting the outreach work with under 18s, medical meaning of complex care, pharmacy support and GP referrals.

The Committee thanked Dr Wainwright for the information and requested that a future update report be provided in a 12 months time.

Resolved – That an update report be provided in 12 months.