A NEW contraceptive service for women in Solihull has been hailed a success.
Solihealth Women’s Care clinic has seen nearly 120 women access long-acting contraception methods.
The service gives women access Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) including coils and hormonal implants.
These allow women to manage their contraception more easily and for years at a time.
All contraceptive services are free of charge, and GP practices can provide further advice and guidance to patients.
Solihull Council says the new service GPs are unable to offer their own LARC service and can refer patients to a local hub run by Solihealth – a collaboration between all the GP practices that make up the Solihull Locality.
This enhanced service for patients registered at Solihull GP practices is funded by Solihull Council’s Public Health team and has been created with primary care providers from across the borough.
Dr Tara Shah, from Solihealth and Solihull Locality clinical lead at Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, said: “It is great to see the service being used by so many women.
“A lot of ladies are attending from areas of Solihull which previously had a very poor uptake of LARC which was one of the primary reasons for setting up this service – to ensure equality of access and provision.
“Its success shows delivering services from local hubs is working well and we are currently exploring other services that we can add alongside the LARC service.”
Councillor Karen Grinsell, cabinet member for Wellbeing, Skills and Inclusion, said: “I am so pleased the new service is proving to be popular and is helping women get the range of contraception services they need.
“The feedback we have received from patients is heartening and reinforces our decision to fund the LARC service and improve women’s health and well-being.
“This is a great example of the Council and health colleagues working together to find new ways to improve health and care for the residents of Solihull.
