Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 November 2024
505. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the National Sexual Health Strategy; the level of funding that has been provided to the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45896/24]
View answerSexual health is a priority for the Department of Health; the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020 (NSHS) was developed as a core policy under the Healthy Ireland Framework and is a priority under the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan, 2021-2025. Implementation of the Strategy is led by the HSE Sexual Health Programme (formerly the Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP)). The first Strategy was extended until the end of 2022 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
An independent Review of the Strategy, by Crowe Ireland, was published in March 2023. The Review identified 56 Priority Actions, of which 49 were assessed as having been successfully progressed. It also sets out 32 indicative recommendations to build on achievements, and to optimise development of a new Strategy.
The following priorities have been identified for the new National Sexual Health Strategy:
• Supporting sexual health across the lifecourse
• Implementing a Model of Care for sexual health services, with a key focus on prevention; diagnosis, treatment, information and surveillance for STIs, including HIV;
• Building capacity and meeting demand for HIV prevention and treatment, including PrEP and PEP;
• Expanding capacity and further developing the home STI testing service and STI testing and treatment more widely, bearing in mind the increase in STI transmission rates, internationally;
• Improving Sexual health information, education and supports, including awareness of consent;
• Further developing and expanding the Free Contraception Scheme for women and the National Condom Distribution Service, to support better access to contraception and STI prevention, also recognising the key role of hormonal contraception in treating adverse period symptoms;
• Supporting sexual health related research;
• Working in partnership across Government, supporting other relevant policy areas, including women’s, men’s and LGBTI+ health, DSGBV prevention, recognising the needs of marginalised groups, using a socially inclusive approach and focusing on the sexual health-related elements of these areas of work;
• Supporting our international commitments concerning sexual health.
The budget for the Strategy will be determined each year for the following year, via the annual Estimates process leading to the annual Budget. For 2025, in order to expand sexual health services and provide additional supports to our rapidly growing population, we have been allocated additional funding of €600,000, through Budget 2025, to further support delivery of the PrEP scheme, bringing the total allocation for PrEP to €5.9m. This additional funding is comprised of €0.2m for additional PrEP drug costs, and €0.4m for additional staffing in the public STI clinics from July 2025, increasing capacity for in-person appointments.
Furthermore, an additional €0.6m has been allocated to support the free home STI testing scheme; given increasing demand for the service. This brings funding for home STI testing to €4.82m in 2025.
Approximately €0.2m has been allocated to support the free contraception scheme, enabling expert advice to be applied to the inclusion of free contraception in the forthcoming expansion of pharmacy services, and supporting forthcoming public information campaigns in 2025 regarding those changes. In summary, an additional €1.4m has been allocated to support sexual health in 2025.
Following the advice of experts on the NSHS Drafting Committee, the new Strategy has now undergone an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, which is now complete. The Strategy is in the final stages of development; it is envisaged that it will be launched in early 2025.
