October 4, 2022 4.30 pm This story is over 27 months old

Lincolnshire health pilot to ‘make services more accessible’

The services are ‘more needed than ever’

Drug treatment and sexual health services would be more accessible under a Greater Lincolnshire, councillors say.

Lincolnshire is currently trialling a joint public health pilot with North and North East Lincolnshire unitary authorities.

The county council’s drug and sexual health services have been temporarily extended to give time for officers to explore greater collaboration between the authorities.

The contract for drug misuse treatment is provided by the charity We Are With You have been increased for six months.

The sexual health contract has been extended for a further year.

There is hope that councils will make be able to find improvements before they are renewed for several years in 2023.

Councillor Hugo Marfleet said: “We talk about open access, but Boston and Lincoln aren’t particularly accessible to someone in Holton-le-Clay in the north of the county.

“More locations would make it easier for people in rural locations and improve confidentiality, particularly for young people who would need to ask someone for transport otherwise.”

Council officers said that while Lincoln spends an average amount on sexual health services for the county’s size, its outcomes are above average.

Councillor Patricia Bradwell also praised how drug treatment services had evolved.

“These services are more needed than ever before due to the amount of people taking drugs,” she told the county council’s Executive meeting.

“The contract has improved every time we have renewed it, and has adapted to the new drugs and the ways that people want to receive treatment.”