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Ravensworth Terrace in Newcastle’s Summerhill Conservation Area, where the city’s sexual health clinic is located(Image: Simon Greener\/Newcastle Chronicle)<\/p>\nThe Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust will take over Newcastle’s sexual health clinic, after CQC inspectors issued a damning verdict on its current private operators<\/p>\n
14:15, 08 Jan 2026Updated 14:53, 08 Jan 2026<\/p>\n
Ravensworth Terrace in Newcastle’s Summerhill Conservation Area, where the city’s sexual health clinic is located(Image: Simon Greener\/Newcastle Chronicle)<\/p>\n
Newcastle\u2019s sexual health service is being put back into NHS hands, after being slated by inspectors. The clinic run by private company Solutions 4 Health (S4H), under contract from Newcastle City Council<\/a>, was graded \u201cinadequate\u201d by the Care Quality Commission in December <\/a>following the discovery of breaches of legal regulations on safeguarding, staffing, the condition and accessibility of its premises and equipment, and a lack of governance and oversight.<\/p>\n Staff at the service had spoken out over an \u201coppressive and bullying culture\u201d and shortcomings in infection prevention, while the healthcare watchdog also criticised a shortage of appointments<\/a> and delays in test results and treatment. The council had already announced a \u201cmutual termination\u201d of S4H\u2019s contract prior to the CQC verdict.<\/a><\/p>\n And it has now been confirmed that the Sunderland<\/a> and South Tyneside<\/a> NHS<\/a> Foundation Trust (STSFT) has been awarded a \u00a36.7 million contract to take over the clinic, which is now based in Summerhill\u2019s Ravensworth Terrace having moved out of the city centre last year, until the end of February 2028.. It is expected that a managed handover to the NHS trust will begin this month.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said: \u201cWe will be working with the existing provider as we begin the transition to take on this service. We want to make sure this happens smoothly for both patients and staff. As a Trust, we have a great deal of expertise and experience in providing high quality sexual health services and we look forward to offering this in Newcastle.\u201d<\/p>\n The sexual health clinic was previously run by the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust but was transferred to S4H in 2023, when the private firm was the only bidder in a tender process. Following a CQC visit last July, when the service was being run from Hadrian House, inspectors said that it was \u201cwas not able to provide an adequate number of appointments\u201d and found that swabs and pots for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing were being stored inappropriately and were at risk of contamination.<\/p>\n They criticised the facilities for having only two plumbed-in sinks and walls \u201ctoo thin to allow privacy and dignity\u201d for patients, while staff reported an \u201coppressive and bullying culture when senior leaders visited the service\u201d.<\/p>\n Coun Adam Walker, Newcastle City Council\u2019s cabinet member for adult social care, health and prevention, said: \u201cI am delighted that \u2013 after multiple organisations expressed interest \u2013 Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) have been awarded the contract to provide in-person sexual health services for Newcastle.<\/p>\n “They have a long history of providing quality services across the region, including for Gateshead<\/a>, and we hope that in making this change the service in Newcastle and its dedicated staff can build on recent improvements to offer the excellent, essential care our residents deserve. We wish to reassure the public that the Council, STSFT and our former provider will endeavour to minimise any disruption to patients and staff as the service and staff transfer over.\u201d<\/p>\n The Solutions 4 Health clinic provides in-person services only and is separate to the city\u2019s online sexual health support, which continues to be provided by Preventx.<\/p>\n