Access to sexual and reproductive health care is set to improve across England due to a new Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement, designed to make it easier for NHS organisations and local authorities to deliver digital sexual health services
Over the past decade, awareness of sexual health and the importance of regular testing has increased. However, for many people, getting an appointment, travelling to clinics, or facing stigma is still a struggle.
This new Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement aims to address these challenges by providing convenient, confidential, and high-quality online services that bring healthcare closer to the community.
Digital shift in sexual health
The Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement supports a range of online services, including STI testing and treatment, contraceptive advice and prescribing, and HIV screening and preventative treatment.
By moving these services online, the framework helps to modernise the way sexual health support is delivered, making it easier for individuals to access the care they need at a time and place that suits them.
This approach aligns with the NHS’s wider goals to migrate services from analogue to digital systems and shift the focus from treatment to prevention. It also supports efforts to reduce health inequalities by reaching people who might otherwise struggle to attend in-person appointments due to work, mobility, or geographic barriers.
Benefits for the NHS and local authorities
For NHS bodies and local authorities, the Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement provides a straightforward and cost-effective route to procure online sexual health services from trusted providers.
It provides flexibility in procurement through both direct award and further competition routes, meaning organisations can either directly appoint a supplier or run a competitive process depending on their needs.
The Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement supports the Provider Selection Regime (PSR), making the process easier for commissioners while ensuring high standards of care and value for money. It also promotes innovation by encouraging providers to utilise digital tools that can enhance the patient experience and provide valuable data for ongoing service improvement.
Supporting diverse populations
One of the key strengths of online sexual health services is their ability to reach diverse and underserved populations. By removing barriers such as travel and clinic waiting times, the framework helps ensure that more people can access timely testing, advice, and treatment.
This not only benefits individuals but also supports public health goals by helping to detect and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections more effectively.
As this new framework is digital, many users may feel more comfortable accessing advice or testing online, in the privacy of their own homes, which can encourage greater engagement with sexual health care.
Framework details and access
The Online Sexual Health Services Framework Agreement will be in effect from 29 October 2025 to 28 October 2029. It is available to NHS England, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts, local authorities, and combined authorities.
Organisations interested in accessing the framework can find complete documentation and guidance through the Customer Framework Agreement Portal (CFAP). Support is available at every stage, from providing ready-to-use templates and SME advice to helping design and manage a further competition process.
