A SOCIAL enterprise company will take control of all sexual health services across the borough after being awarded a five-year contract by Wigan Council.

Not-for-profit group Spectrum Community Health CIC will deliver its services to users at seven locations including Leigh, Atherton and Hindley or Hindley Green from March 2018 after the council made the decision following a consultation to identify improvements to its sexual health provision.

A survey with residents found 90 per cent agreed that one organisation should be responsible for co-ordinating care, 88 per cent think there should be more outreach in communities and 86 per cent believe the clinic locations are well-located.

Chief executive at Spectrum Community Health CIC Dr Linda Harris said: “We are absolutely delighted with the news of being chosen by Wigan Council to deliver their sexual health services and are excited by the opportunity to support the ambitions the council has to develop innovative citizen centred sexual health and wellbeing services.

“We are very much looking forward to working with the council and the people of Wigan borough to shape the services they want and need.”

Spectrum CIC, which will deliver both adult and young people’s sexual health services at the clinics, will also offer digital support, which could see service users self-testing for sexually transmitted diseases at home and finding help online.

Professor Kate Ardern, director for public health at the council, said: “We are dedicated to providing effective services and it is important that our residents shape how those services are delivered.

“We need to do things differently to get ahead of the curve and encourage a pro-active, preventative approach.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Spectrum CIC and believe that this new way of working will reduce the stigma and taboo nature of talking about sexual health.”

For more information about sexual health visit wigan.gov.uk.