NHS staff have been left "highly distraught" as the future of their jobs hangs in the balance over an uncertain future for sexual health services.
Sexual health services in Oxfordshire will no longer be delivered primarily by the hospitals trust from next year.
Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUH) has declined to take on the contract from April 2027, citing it fails to align with a national 10-year plan for the NHS.
If nobody else takes up the contract from Oxfordshire County Council, OUH has vowed not to leave the county without a service.
A source close to the matter has said staff were told this last week and around 80 people are now concerned about the future of their jobs.
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The source said: "Staff were all told in an email not to tell the media, but they are concerned about their jobs and their livelihoods.
"Everybody was told on Thursday and they are highly distraught, left weighing up what to do next and how to do it.
"However, the reason for OUH not taking on this service is not unreasonable as bosses looked at the 10-year plan and found supporting sexual health does not align with the strategy's values.
"So they are now cutting it out and handing it back to Oxfordshire County Council when the contract runs out on March 31.
"It might save a few million over the years, but people were in tears when they learned of this."
There has been suggestion that, depending on who gets the contract, staff could be transferred via TUPE, a law that protects employees' jobs and contract terms when the business or service they work for changes hands.
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OUH's sexual health team provides free, confidential sexual-health care across clinics in Oxfordshire.
Its main offers include STI testing and treatment, contraception, HIV care and prevention advice.
The existing Oxfordshire integrated sexual health services contract is worth up to £5.6 million a year. It is funded from Oxfordshire County Council’s public-health grant.
The current contract was awarded in April 2019 and will end on March 31.
A spokeswoman at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "OUH has chosen not to accept the direct award of the contract for the provision of sexual health services from Oxfordshire County Council from April 2027.
"We have informed the county council of this decision and we have also reiterated our commitment to maintaining these services after 1 April 2027 if a new provider is not in place by this date, in order to ensure that patient care is not compromised.
"This decision was based on the direction of travel for sexual health provision to be based in community services rather than in hospital settings, as set out in the government’s national 10 year plan for the NHS.
"The Trust Board will discuss whether to bid for the contract when it meets on 30 September."
Oxfordshire County Council's spokesman said: "When a contract for a commissioned service approaches its end date, it is common practice to carry out a tendering process.
"The current provider may choose whether to bid for the next contract and is not required to continue delivering the service.
“As a statutory public health service, sexual health support will continue beyond April 2027, irrespective of which organisation delivers it.”
Oxford City Council has been contacted for further comment.
Oxford University Hospitals Trust did not respond to claims staff were told not to approach the media.
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