Decision

The Director of Public Health has agreed to
vary the contract with Wirral Community Health & Care NHS
Foundation Trust for the delivery of the Integrated Sexual Health
Service, at a total additional sum of £107,921, for the
contract period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2029.

Reasons for the decision

Wirral Council is legally obliged to provide,
or make arrangements for the provision of, open access Sexual and
Reproductive Health Services. Wirral Community Health & Care
NHS Foundation Trust were awarded a five-year contract (with two 12
month extension options) commencing on 1st April 2024 to deliver an
integrated sexual health service, following a competitive tender
undertaken in the previous year.
NHS Agenda for Change pay awards, determined nationally, have
increased staffing costs beyond the original tender value.
Responsibility for funding these staff pay uplifts transferred to
local authorities and additional funding to support this has been
added into the baseline of the Ringfenced Public Health Grant. This
financial contract variation is for recurrent funding that will
address the funding gap for staff pay costs during the lifetime of
the contract.

Alternative options considered

Alternative options considered include not
awarding any additional funding beyond the agreed agenda for change
pay uplift, however the outcome to this would result in high risk
of significant service disruption, provider withdrawal, and breach
of Council statutory duties. Alternative providers are limited, and
emergency arrangements would likely incur higher costs. Therefore,
this option was not deemed appropriate.
Alternative options to mitigate the impact of financial pressures
within the service would have a direct impact on the quality and
effectiveness of the contract, including statutory functions,
therefore this option was not deemed appropriate.