Greater Manchester Sexual Health Network

The Greater Manchester Sexual Health Network is the UK’s first comprehensive Sexual Health Network and includes amongst others HIV, genito-urinary medicine, family planning, contraception, sexual dysfunction, conception, teenage pregnancy and abortion services provided by the statutory, community and voluntary sectors (Recommended standards for sexual health services, DH (2005).)

Established in July 2003, and formally launched in May 2004 at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton - with over 175 staff, patients and volunteers in attendance - the Network is about making best use of existing resources and modernising services as well as enabling barriers to be broken down between care sectors, focussing solutions on patient care pathways, rather than on organisations.

The network has already secured additional income for Greater Manchester, to help pump-prime and facilitate future change and development. Examples include £2.5m from the Facilities Improvement funds, which will be used to build a new Integrated Sexual Health Centre in Central Manchester, a successful bid for £344k from the Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing monies available (to cover Tameside and Glossop, Stockport, South Manchester, Central Manchester and Trafford) and from the Improvements in Access to Abortion Services monies Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, North, Central and South Manchester secured £125k.