Fast Track Powys, led by partner organisations, is working together to pilot a new approach to make sexual health support easier to access across the county.

Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board are offering discreet sexual health tests and postal kits in several libraries across Powys.

The pilot aims to help normalise conversations around health and wellbeing and reduce the stigma that can still exist around sexual health and testing. Residents can collect free sexual health testing kits directly from participating libraries and complete them at home, offering a private and accessible option.

The pilot will initially take place in Machynlleth, Welshpool, Presteigne, Rhayader, Brecon and Ystradgynlais, with learning from the project helping to shape future community-based health initiatives.

The initiative forms part of the wider Fast Track Powys partnership programme, which brings organisations together to improve health outcomes, increase awareness and access to HIV and sexual health testing, and tackle stigma within communities across Powys.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for Legal and Regulatory Services and Chair of the Fast Track Powys Steering Group and Cllr Raiff Devlin, Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital and Community Services jointly said: “This partnership work shows what we can achieve when organisations across Powys come together with a shared goal. By making sexual health testing more accessible in trusted community spaces like libraries, we’re helping to break down stigma and barriers, while supporting people to take control of their health in a way that suits them.”

“This pilot is an important step in improving wellbeing across our communities and ensuring services are easier to access for everyone,” they added.

Stigma around sexual health can still prevent people from seeking advice or testing, particularly in rural communities, with the initiative aiming to make services more normalised and accessible locally.