SEXUAL health services in Southend, including family planning, could be privatised.

Southend Council has put the service out to tender after Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust said it could no longer afford to run a worthwhile service at three NHS centres given the funding on offer.

The trust runs a range of sexual health services, including contraception, advice and screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases at the Kingsley Ward Centre and the Carlingford Centre at Southend Hospital and at Thorpedene Clinic in Delaware Road, Shoebury.

A trust spokesman said: “Following a protracted period of negotiation, and after a reduction in the value of the contract, the trust was not able to continue to deliver the level of service required within the reduced financial envelope proposed by commissioners.

“The trust therefore took the decision to serve notice on the contract to enable the service to be re-procured.”

The council took over responsibility for public health services from the Southend Clinical Commissioning Group last year.

An alternative to a private provider could be the council running the service themselves as it moves to become more involved in local healthcare.

A spokesman for Southend Council denied the budget and services are being cut.

The spokesman said: “It is an open tender so we are not specifying the type of organisation who can apply. “There are no financial implications as there are no plans to change the contract value.”

The public were excluded from a discussion by councillors at cabinet in September, under a rule which prevents the discussion of financial matters in public.

The decision to put the service out to tender has been called in by councillors Ian Gilbert and Anne Jones.

Mrs Jones said: “As far as we are aware there has been no consultation with young people about this. “Sexual health services, particularly for young people have got to be delivered in a certain way.

“It’s not clear how the how the needs of young people are going to be met from a social services point of view. It’s really important because we need to provide for victims of sexual abuse.

“We need a safe provider with a good track record. I would never be in favour of a private company running this sort of service.”