Contraceptive services for women are inadequate and set to decline further with the shift to local authority control, according to a new report.

An enquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health in the UK found that PCTs were restricting access to contraception.

Next year, the Group said, local authorities would lack the funds and the guidance they needed to commission effective sexual health services.

The report stated there was “a clear disconnect between national ambition and local delivery” in sexual and reproductive health.

PCTs in areas including Derbyshire, Bristol and parts of London are restricting access to contraceptive services according to age or location.

Many women over 25 have to obtain contraception through GPs rather than through sexual health clinics.

A survey of lead clinicians in sexual and reproductive health found that 60% were seeing their services cut back by PCTs in order to save money.

However, when community sexual health becomes the responsibility of local government in April 2013, there could be a further downturn due to split responsibility and lack of guidance and support.

The Group’s Chair, Baroness Gould of Potternewton, commented: “Access to contraception services and contraception choice is a necessity, not a luxury. Women’s reproductive health needs to be given much greater priority.”

“Unintended pregnancy costs the NHS more than £755m every year,” said sexual health consultant Connie Smith. “For every pound spent on contraception the NHS saves £12.50, so restricting access and choice is a completely false economy.”

The report called on the DH and NHS Commissioning Board to clarify the new commissioning arrangements for sexual health services, including the ‘local enhanced services’ to be provided by GPs.

It also urged NICE to develop a national quality standard on contraception.

Virgin Care has gained a £130m deal to provide NHS and social care services for children and young adults in Devon.

Richard Branson’s company will take over 1,100 staff currently employed in children’s services by NHS Devon and Devon county council.

The integrated services were put out to tender as a single contract.

Virgin, which gained a £500m contract to provide community health services in Surrey in March, is becoming a major NHS presence in the south of England.

It gained the three-year Devon contract ahead of two rival bidders that were partnerships: Devon Partnership NHS Trust with charities Barnado’s, Young Devon and Interserve; and Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust with Serco.

The company says its one year’s experience of working with charity Kids’ Company has equipped it for this role.

Branson’s Virgin group purchased health provider Assura Medical in 2010 and rebranded it Virgin Care this year. The company now runs 120 NHS services.

Rebecca Harriott, Director of Commissioning Development at NHS Devon, said the PCT cluster had “been careful to involve as many stakeholders as possible in the evaluation process including young people, parents and carers and professionals such as GPs and head teachers.

“Bringing together community-based health and social care staff has brought many benefits for children, young people, parents and carers,” she added. “Keeping these services together and developing them further means finding the right provider with the right vision and commitment.”