Published on:19 December 2025
Reflecting on 2025 – Moving Forward into 2026
As we step into 2026, South Tyneside Sexual Health Service are proud to reflect on the progress and positive changes of the past year.
2025 has been a year of innovation, accessibility, and community impact, and we’ve seen our service go from strength to strength. Guided by the new NHS Plan for England: Fit for the Future, we’ve worked hard to ensure our service remains modern, inclusive, and ready for the future.
Key Highlights from 2025
Digital First: We innovated our digital offer by promoting our in-house online testing service, launched late 2024. This confidential service links directly to patient records, ensuring quick results, timely treatment and real-time surveillance of testing data, enabling targeted health promotion work. By keeping this provision local and the use of Gateshead QE Labs, we support jobs in the North East and build social value. Condom provision also moved online, making access easier—with more exciting digital developments planned for 2026.
Health Promotion Boost: With further investment, we expanded our Health Promotion Team and increased community outreach events. These included on-the-day STI testing and advice at venues popular with young people, reinforcing our belief that prevention is better than cure.
Quality Standards: We proudly achieved You’re Welcome accreditation again in 2025, reaffirming our commitment to youth-friendly, accessible services. We partnered with NHS England to safely deliver targeted vaccination and prevention programmes, including the new gonorrhoea vaccine and Doxy PEP (taken to reduce the chances of developing STIs like syphilis).
Innovative Approaches: Recognising that sexual health matters at every age, we launched the Older People’s Charter, supporting those starting relationships later in life to do so safely and confidently, supporting people in their journey and local providers of services to older people to inform their understanding.
Collaboration & Access: We strengthened partnerships and pathways with local organisations to provide seamless referrals and easier access to contraception and STI screening. We also expanded condom schemes across community organisations and opened rota-based clinics in Family Hubs across South Tyneside bringing services (contraception including implant fitting, sexual health advice and pregnancy options) closer to home, acknowledging the financial and climate impact for people of travelling to our central clinic at Palmer Community Hospital in Jarrow.
Supporting Young People: Recognising that a person’s sexual and reproductive health is shaped in their younger years and how important those years are, to make access easier for under-19s, we introduced a Young People’s Drop-In every Tuesday from 3:30pm, offering a safe space for testing, treatment, vaccines, contraception and advice.
Future Workforce Resilience: We invested in training more professionals in the sexual health specialism to secure expertise for the future in community integrated sexual health services. We also delivered training updates to local GPs, nurses and pharmacists on contraception and STIs.
Looking Ahead
Every step we’ve taken aligns with our mission: reducing inequalities, moving services into the community, embracing digital innovation, and shifting from treatment to prevention. We have exciting plans for 2026—and we’re confident our service will continue to grow stronger.
Here’s to an even more inclusive, innovative, and prevention-focused year ahead!
Your Feedback Matters
We value innovation and welcome feedback from everyone who uses our service. If you’ve visited a clinic, please share your thoughts—your views help shape our decisions and ensure our service meets your needs.