Axess sexual health service secured in Liverpool Council 2026

Key Points

• Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet has approved extending the city’s sexual and reproductive health service, Axess, for another three years.
• The decision confirms continued support for an award-winning programme that has driven significant drops in STI rates and improved contraceptive uptake in Liverpool.
• Axess is commissioned by Liverpool City Council and delivered by Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT).
• The service covers contraception, STI testing and treatment, HIV healthcare, PrEP, PEP, pregnancy testing, sexual problems support and cervical screening across Liverpool and neighbouring areas.
• The extension signals confidence in Axess’s digital-first model, which includes online booking, remote consultations and postal delivery of contraception, tests and treatment.
• Dedicated clinics for LGBTIQ+ communities and young people, plus outreach teams working in education settings, remain core components of the service.
• The refresh of the contract allows Axess to continue integrating three previously separate sexual health services in Liverpool into a single, inclusive pathway.
• Recent data shows Liverpool has seen a more than 20% drop in STI cases over a 12-month period, linked in part to improved access through Axess.
• The council’s decision aligns with broader public health priorities to reduce unintended pregnancies, improve HIV prevention and expand testing to include conditions such as tuberculosis.
• The extension will run until at least 2029, giving the service time to deliver further community-focused improvements and digital innovations.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) July 14, 2026 – Liverpool has confirmed that its award-winning sexual and reproductive health service, Axess, will continue for a further three years following approval by Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet. The move ensures that residents across Liverpool and neighbouring areas will retain access to a highly integrated model of sexual healthcare that has been credited with driving down STI rates and improving uptake of contraception.

The decision comes after years of operational success for Axess, which was commissioned in 2021 to replace a more fragmented set of services. By bringing together previously separate providers, including Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and Brook, the council and LUHFT created a single, non-judgemental service designed to simplify the patient journey and broaden reach into communities that had historically faced barriers to care.

As reported by the journalist covering the Liverpool Express story, Cabinet members highlighted that Axess had already delivered “dramatically improved testing rates locally, as well as improved contraceptive uptake rates and better reach into communities who may need more support”. Those outcomes were reinforced by recent UK Health Security Agency data showing STI cases in Liverpool falling by more than 20% in a 12-month period.

How has Axess changed access to sexual and reproductive health services in Liverpool?

Axess was launched as an integrated sexual and reproductive health service with a strong digital component, allowing people to book appointments online, attend remote consultations and order contraception, tests and treatment by post. The service operates across Liverpool, Knowsley, Cheshire East, Warrington and Halton, making it one of the largest providers of sexual health services in the UK.

The model includes dedicated clinics for LGBTIQ+ communities and young people, alongside outreach teams that work in schools, colleges and community settings to provide education and awareness alongside clinical services. As noted in council documentation, the service is designed to “make it easier to access testing, contraception, advice, and education”.

Liverpool City Council and Axess have also engaged with the NHS, voluntary sector and community partners to refine the service based on resident feedback, a process that began around three years before the 2026 extension decision. That engagement helped shape elements such as the digital booking system, remote consultations and the integration of multiple services under one provider.

Why is the three-year extension important for public health in Liverpool?

The three-year extension locks in funding and commissioning arrangements that allow Axess to continue its community-focused work until at least 2029. For public health officials, that continuity is crucial for maintaining momentum on key priorities such as reducing unintended pregnancies, expanding HIV prevention tools like PrEP and PEP, and improving early diagnosis and treatment of STIs.

Recent developments in Liverpool show the council is already using the Axess framework to test new HIV prevention and STI treatment technologies and to expand testing to include tuberculosis. With Axess set to continue, those pilot initiatives can be scaled within an established service rather than starting from scratch.

As highlighted in NHS Cheshire and Merseyside reporting, Liverpool is “marking a major public health milestone with a significant drop in sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates”. The council’s decision to back Axess for another three years reflects confidence that this trend can be sustained and further strengthened through continued investment in accessible, integrated care.

What services does Axess provide and who can access them?

Axess offers a broad range of free sexual health services, including contraception, STI testing and treatment, HIV healthcare, PrEP, PEP, pregnancy testing, sexual problems support and cervical screening. People can book appointments online or by phone on 0300 323 1300, selecting the option for their nearest clinic.

The service is available to residents of Liverpool, Knowsley, Cheshire East, Warrington and Halton, and is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of age, background or identity. Dedicated clinics for LGBTIQ+ communities and young people aim to reduce barriers and create environments where people feel comfortable seeking care.

Axess also works closely with GPs, pharmacies and schools, providing training and support to ensure high-quality sexual health services are available across the city. This networked approach helps extend the reach of specialist care beyond Axess clinics into everyday health and education settings.

Background on the development of Axess and the council’s decision

Axess was commissioned by Liverpool City Council in 2021, with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust awarded the contract to deliver the integrated sexual and reproductive health service. The service replaced a more fragmented arrangement that included Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and Brook, bringing them under a single provider to create a “holistic, non-judgemental, welcoming and easily accessible service”.

From launch, Axess incorporated digital-first elements such as online booking, remote consultations and postal delivery of contraception, tests and treatment, alongside physical clinics and outreach work. Council documents describe the service as designed to “make it easier to access testing, contraception, advice, and education” and note that these changes have led to “dramatically improved testing rates locally, as well as improved contraceptive uptake rates and better reach into communities who may need more support”.

Recent data from the UK Health Security Agency shows STI cases in Liverpool falling by more than 20% over a 12-month period, a trend attributed in part to improved access through Axess and related initiatives. The council’s Cabinet decision in July 2026 to extend Axess for another three years confirms that the service will continue under its current model until at least 2029, providing stability for planned expansions such as new HIV prevention technologies and expanded testing for tuberculosis.

What could the three-year Axess extension mean for Liverpool residents and local health systems?

The extension is likely to have a direct impact on how Liverpool residents access sexual and reproductive health care. By securing Axess for another three years, the council ensures that digital booking, remote consultations and postal services remain available, which can reduce waiting times and make it easier for people to seek care without attending a clinic in person. For young people, LGBTIQ+ communities and those in areas with limited transport, those options can be particularly important.

For local health systems, the continued commissioning of Axess supports longer-term planning around HIV prevention, STI treatment and teenage pregnancy reduction. Council documents indicate that the service is already being used to test new technologies and to expand testing to include tuberculosis, and a three-year window gives those pilots time to be evaluated and, if effective, rolled out more widely. Clinicians, GPs, school nurses and pharmacy staff working with Axess will also benefit from a stable partnership, allowing training and joint initiatives to continue without interruption.

Overall, the decision reinforces Liverpool’s position as a locality where integrated, digital-enabled sexual health services are driving measurable public health improvements. For residents, that means continued access to a service that has already helped reduce STI rates and improve contraceptive uptake, with the potential for further gains as new prevention and testing tools are introduced over the next three years.