Liverpool’s sexual health services are blazing a trail in the field thanks to its innovative approaches in providing greater access to medicines and better testing for people in the area. The city has ramped up its testing program, resulting in a record number of people being tested for HIV and other STIs last year. This allows the detection of infection to happen early on and for prompt treatment to be given. Notably, the city’s STI testing and treatment methods have also helped more patients get their laboratory results and treatments within a span of just a few hours, making healthcare more efficient.
Efforts have also been made to make it easier for individuals to have access to medication, especially those members of underrepresented groups. One of the key measures taken is the introduction of the PrEP Express clinics. These clinics allow people to obtain repeat prescriptions without seeing a clinician face-to-face, cutting down on waiting times and allowing more appointments for other patients. The innovative clinics have resulted in a 192-person increase in people using PrEP. As part of the EmpowHerment campaign, aimed specifically at women, the city has also been working on improving access to HIV PrEP, which can help women reduce their risk of getting HIV from sex.
There is also more focus on driving outreach programs to work with underserved communities. The Sexual Health On Wheels (S.H.O.W.) Bus was established to reach out to communities and provide screenings on STIs, HIV, cervical cancer, and contraception. This includes contraceptive implants that will soon be offered for free at select pharmacies in the city in a pilot program, making Liverpool the first place in the country to do so. These innovations have been lauded by experts as a means to engage more groups in Liverpool to avail sexual healthcare services.
Liverpool’s efforts on sexual health services are a testament to the city’s commitment to improving access to healthcare for all its residents. The groundbreaking and highly effective strategies have paved the way for other communities to follow, ensuring that healthcare is always within reach for everyone
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