Impact Review 2025/26: Sexual Health Improvement (SHIP) HIT

The Sexual Health Improvement Programme (SHIP) Health Integration Team is made up of clinicians, commissioners, public health professionals, members of the public and researchers. Together they support the development of evidence-based services that will improve people’s sexual health in our region and beyond. Here are the HIT's highlights from 2025/26.

3rd July 2026

Mobilising system change in sexual health

As the new integrated sexual health service for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire became established, the Sexual Health Improvement (SHIP) Health Integration Team (HIT) provided continuity and system leadership through a period of significant commissioning change.

In 2025, SHIP brought together local expertise from across the system to agree a shared strategic direction for sexual and reproductive health and HIV and identify research priorities. This collective work set a strong foundation for the development of a regional strategy now underway.

Embedding co-production: Common Ambition Bristol

Common Ambition Bristol (CAB) brings members of African and Caribbean communities together with sexual health staff and service providers as equal partners. Over the past four years, CAB has worked to tackle health inequities and reduce HIV transmission in Bristol. In 2025, it became part of the region’s commissioned sexual health services.

Key achievements in the last year included:

Launch of a co-production toolkit to support services to work more effectively with minoritised communities
Publication of research exploring barriers and facilitators to HIV testing among African and Caribbean heritage communities
A well‑received presentation at the Bristol Health Partners Conference
Regional media coverage on BBC Points West, featuring local barbers and salon owners supporting outreach
Welcoming England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer to learn more about this public health innovation

Routine testing in emergency departments

SHIP played a key role in introducing routine opt‑out testing for bloodborne viruses in Bristol’s emergency departments, including HIV. In the first year, more than 72,000 patients were tested. Early evaluation shows strong support for the programme among emergency department staff, highlighting both its impact and sustainability.

Creative approaches to tackling stigma in schools

SHIP supported a new collaborative project between Chiva, a charity supporting children and young people living with HIV, and Welsh National Opera. Together, they delivered HIV awareness activities in two Bristol schools.

Feedback showed that using creativity, music and song to explore HIV stigma improved engagement, understanding and empathy, offering a powerful and effective way to reach young people.