Integrated sexual health

Before I came to Brook I spent a long time searching for a service where I would be listened to and not judged. At Brook each young person is considered to be individual and unique, Brook staff listen and try to understand the situations of the young people they meet. Brook has given countless young people, including myself, the chance to set their own path and their own future.” Brook Young Volunteer

We provide services for young people up to the age of 25, either as a standalone service or in partnership with others in a whole age delivery model.

Brook is the most amazing place to be whether you are getting advice, seeing a doctor or volunteering. Brook helps young people no matter what and never turns their back on people. Brook is a helping hand even during the toughest part of someone’s life and Brook really did give me and other young people a voice to be heard.” Brook Young Volunteer

We deliver young person only services throughout the UK. In partnership with other organisations we provide the young person element for integrated sexual health services in the following locations:

Wirral
Activity: Young people’s clinical, outreach and education 
Contracted by: Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Bedford 
Activity: Young people’s clinical, outreach and education    
Contracted by: Terrence Higgins Trust

Oldham, Bury and Rochdale 
Activity: Young people’s clinical, outreach and education    
Contracted by: VirginCare

Teeside 
Activity: Young people’s chlamydia screening, condom distribution and targeted outreach, advice and information, schools SRE and professionals training    
Contracted by: VirginCare

Lancashire 
Activity: Services for young people under 25, condom distribution scheme and co-ordination of the national chlamydia screening programme    
Contracted by: Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire     
Activity: Young peoples’ clinical services with counselling, school based community clinics, outreach and education    
Contracted by: Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council

Milton Keynes 
Activity: Young people’s clinical services using a hub and spoke model, ‘clinic in a box’ outreach and school drop-ins
Contracted by: Milton Keynes Borough Council

Essex 
Activity: Clinical outreach and targeted My Life programmes for young peopl    
Contracted by: Provide

Kent 
Activity: Young people’s sexual health outreach    
Contracted by: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Southend 
Activity: My Life programmes for young people and professional training    
Contracted by: South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

If you would like to discuss our approach to integrated sexual health services, please contact us.

The way they say things on the website and how they talk to you in the clinic is talking to you like you’re young, there’s no clinical jargon, it’s on your level” Brook Service User

Brook recognises that one size does not fit all in the delivery of integrated services. We work with commissioners and partners to develop models of delivery which work best for the locality, clients and above all, young people.

We work with partners to deliver a young person friendly integrated services. These may be integrated health and wellbeing services for young people, working in partnership with homelessness, drugs and alcohol partners or integrated all age sexual health services, working with community interest companies, private companies, NHS Trusts and other specialist voluntary and community partners in sexuality and sexual health such as THT, LGBT Foundation, Metro, BHA. 

Our partners value the trust and confidence young people have and the holistic approach we take to meeting their needs. Brook is often at the forefront of local and national policy design and implementation and our partnerships benefit from:

• Flexible evidence-based services to meet local needs that embed interventions for prevention
• Expert at supporting vulnerable young people with complex needs
• Opportunities for young people’s participation and involvement
• Established provider in many areas of the UK and Northern Ireland, with existing relationships and a trusted brand associated with high quality services and integrity
• Experienced in integrated working to achieve shared public health outcomes
• Expertise in digital content, tools and services
• National leader in policy and practice able to offer training and expert advice to partners (including the Spotting the Signs proforma, Traffic Light Tool, Department of Health CSE Training tool, C-Card guidelines).

As a national charity delivering local services, Brook offers national quality standards, infrastructure and leadership, balanced with responsiveness to our local communities.

As an experienced national provider we work in partnership in a range of integrated services nationally and are experienced in developing flexible service models with partners that achieve improvements and efficiencies for greatest impact.

As part of an integrated service we work extensively to promote understanding, awareness and personal choice in sexual health and wellbeing. Elements we deliver include:

• Sexual health promotion, information and advice to enable young people to make informed decisions about sex and relations
• Guidance on STIs and how to prevent them
• A full range of contraceptive services, delivered with one to one support
• Education and training for SRE in education settings
• Support for young people around pregnancy
• Support for people living with HIV 
• Providing accredited training for other health and non-health professionals
• Health and wellbeing support

When clients use our service they will be screened for risk, abuse and exploitation, and offered holistic health and wellbeing Brief Interventions. We offer a flexible response to young people’s multiple and changing needs.

We have received comments stating that experiences with Brook have been extremely helpful and informative. This is especially pertinent as difficult issues are dealt with utmost honesty and integrity for the benefit of service users who are mainly young people […] Brook are a testament to the belief that you can provide an important and critical service in a field such as this, without lowering perceived levels of morality, in the sole aim of keeping young people safe.” Milton Keynes Local Improvement Network

• Our staff hold registrations with relevant professional organisations, including:
  • RCN (Royal College of Nursing)
  • FSRH (Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare)
  • BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
  • BASHH (British Association for Sexual Health and HIV)
• Our understanding of CSE and young people’s vulnerability is extensive. In partnership with BASHH, we produced Spotting the Signs, a tool to help health professionals identify young people who may be at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation
• Our whole person centred approach results in a more aware and responsible young community
• Whilst we prioritise prevention, we engage with young people in a non-judgemental way. We find this increases engagement
• We promote clear, easy to understand messages, not only to young people but to the wider community
• Our workers are all dual trained and specialists in young people’s health and wellbeing
• We are innovative in a way young people appreciate. For example our confidential Ask Brook digital helpline service provides support and signposting in a way young people can relate to.

Page updated: May 2016
Next review due: May 2017