Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2017 to Question 112168, on Genito-urinary Medicine: Greater London, what interim measures for physical or online service delivery have been put in place as a result of the delayed commencement of the online e-service contract; which London boroughs have implemented interim measures and what the costs of interim measures are for each borough.

Responsibility for commissioning open access sexual health services is devolved to local authorities through the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Public Health England does not engage in the detailed procurement process of individual services.

Delivery of the London Sexual Health Transformation Programme e-service is the responsibility of local authorities and it is for local authority commissioners to determine the start date for the service and when an evaluation framework will be made available. It is anticipated that the e-service will commence in January 2018.

Where interim service arrangements are required locally ahead of commencement of the e-service they will be agreed and implemented by the relevant local authority. Any cost linked to these interim measures will vary depending on local arrangements.