A long and dogged campaign by Keep Our NHS Public North East demanding information on the state of outsourced sexual health services has culminated in Newcastle City Council ending a 4-year contract early – and bringing in-person services back into the NHS.
NHS-provided sexual health services had run successfully in Newcastle for 70 years (and been ranked as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission) prior to the tendering exercise carried out by the Council in 2023. This resulted in Newcastle Hospitals Trust (which had provided the services since 2006) refusing to submit a bid, arguing that they could not see a way to deliver a sustainable service within the available funding.
Full article in The Lowdown, 20 March 2026
