Sexual Health

The Essex Sexual Health Service is aimed at supporting the sexual health of young people in Essex. Service users download a free app, developed by Provide Digital to access three informative animations about sexual health. Once registered for the virtual eCCard, holders can visit convenient locations across Essex, scan a QR code and discreetly collect free condoms and lube.

The new innovative modular units are purposebuilt spaces designed to provide diagnostic support and clinical assessment for people living with COPD, asthma and other lung conditions. The Spirometry Diagnostic Unit is a portable modular self-contained unit which allows patients and clinicians to meet safely in two sealed areas, where they can communicate through a glass screen. A high-speed air exchange filtration system (60 ac/hr) and UV-C lighting thoroughly disinfects rooms quickly between each patient, allowing for multiple daily consultations without risk of infection. Respiratory patients will no longer need to deal with the challenges of accessing services in busy and shared healthcare premises.

Clinical colleagues in our COPD service led the Mid and South Essex Long COVID Service, which was made up of a multidisciplinary expert team working across Mid and South Essex. This service was recognised as an exemplar in The NHS Plan for Improving Long COVID Services (NHS England July 2022 Publication approval reference: C1607).

The NHS Plan notes the pioneering use of a mobile clinic in a van to give residents in hard-to-reach areas access to high-quality proactive and preventative care for post-COVID syndrome and its symptoms. The outreach van goes to communities to offer health checks and diagnostic tests for adults, children, and young people, including blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, spirometry, other tests for breathlessness, and 6-lead electrocardiography.

The Long COVID team works with other local teams to provide information on smoking cessation, social prescribing, and local facilities. Patients referred to the Long COVID clinic can book appointments to be seen in the van or people can walk in to talk to the team about Long COVID and its symptoms.

The service has continued to evolve with additional advice and resources on sexual health, the law and much more. This year, Provide Community will extend the service with the installation of vending machines on campus at The University of Essex in Colchester, Writtle College, and Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford. At these locations, young people aged 16-24 can access free condoms and lube 24/7 by scanning a QR code from the app or by accessing the onscreen sexual health information.

James Wilson, Transformation Director, MSECC said, “Having these new units available means we can deliver respiratory support closer to home for people who may have been unable to access services previously – all while keeping our staff and service users safe in the process.”

I am really excited to launch Provides’ own version of Dragons Den! We have so many creative and entrepreneurial colleagues that I am convinced we will see some fantastic ideas that grow our business and support colleagues to succeed in bringing ideas to life.

Vicky Waldron, Chief Commercial Officer

At Provide Community our innovation value is at the core of how we think, act and invest to improve services and transform lives.

Innovation starts with an idea, and comes to life through listening, support and investment. As a social enterprise, we value the thoughts and ideas of all our colleagues, and in 2021 we introduced the Provide Community Innovation Tree to encourage innovative ideas from our colleagues. We will actively support and invest in new thinking - our only requirement is that ideas are bold and present opportunities to deliver a return on time, effort and resources.

In 2022 we are proud to have seen Provide Community’s innovation recognised in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards for ‘Driving Efficiency Through Technology.’