HCRG Care Group appointed as new sexual health and HIV treatment provider in Coventry and Warwickshire
Coventry health and care provider HCRG Care Group is delighted to have been appointed to deliver sexual health and HIV treatment services across Coventry and Warwickshire from 1 April 2024.
One of the leading independent sector providers of NHS and local authority health and care services in the UK, HCRG Care Group has provided services in Coventry for more than a decade, including Summerfield Urgent Care Centre, Anchor Centre and the Meridian Practice as well as Coventry Walk in Health Centre.
The sexual health contract, which will last up to 10 years, will see HCRG Care Group invest in easy to access, digitally enabled sexual health services with a proactive approach to improving outcomes and reducing health inequalities for local people on behalf of Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.
The organisation will also be delivering a full treatment service to HIV patients on behalf of NHS England. This includes the management of patients living with HIV, as well as promoting and delivering regular testing, and offering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to those at risk of HIV infection.
HCRG Care Group has been providing sexual health services across the country since 2011. All of its existing services are rated ‘good or outstanding’ by the CQC, and its Sexual Health Hub website is accessed by around 500,000 people each year for advice and guidance, as well as to book appointments.
The organisation was most recently praised for increasing detection of sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, chlamydia and diagnosing more HIV infections earlier after its transformation of Teesside Sexual Health Service.
HCRG Care Group has worked extensively with community groups to improve access to health services. It has developed HIV and PrEP outreach programmes to groups supporting black African women in the north west and works closely with groups at risk of poor sexual health outcomes.
All of the colleagues working in the current services will transfer to HCRG Care Group with their terms and conditions, and pay, protected. The services will continue to be free to access, just as they are today.
Patrick Birchall, Chief Operating Officer at HCRG Care Group said: “We are delighted to have been selected to expand the services we deliver in Coventry and Warwickshire and look forward to welcoming these new colleagues and services to our team next year.”
There will be no interruption to services as a result of the transfer, with HCRG Care Group and the local authorities working together with the current provider to ensure records, and appointments, continue uninterrupted as well as ensuring colleagues working in the service are supported through the transition.
The service contract was awarded following a robust, open procurement process run by Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.