Thomas Byrne
Question:21. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the strategies in place for developing health services on third level campuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41215/19]
View answerThursday, 10 October 2019
Questions (21)
Written answers
My Department and the HSE are not directly responsible for the provision of routine health services on campuses. However, a number of on-campus programmes to promote health and wellbeing amongst students take place with the involvement of my Department and the HSE. These include initiatives around sexual health, mental health and awareness of the risks around tobacco, alcohol and substance misuse.
In terms of sexual health, the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme collaborate with the Union of Students in Ireland on the Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (SHAG) campaign every year. The campaign focusses on STI awareness and prevention, consent, contraception, unplanned pregnancy and promotion of the HSE MyOptions service.
The National Condom Distribution Service functions as a central point for distributing free condoms and lubricant sachets to HSE services and other organisations working directly with individuals and groups who may be at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes, including young people.
Further development and expansion of this initiative will be implemented across third level college and university access points in late 2019.
Mental Health services for third level students are led by the Higher Education Authority. However, students can avail of all HSE mental health services during their time at third level institutions.
The Department of Health and HSE have been promoting the development of a number of digital mental health supports, apps such as +connections, telephone and text services, and pilots for on-line counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy services. The HSE also supports student mental health and wellbeing campaigns such as ReCharge, which was launched by Minister Daly in November of last year.
The HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme was launched in 2013, with the aim of Ireland being tobacco free (use among less than 5% of the population) by 2025. One of the policies aimed at the de-normalisation of smoking is to promote tobacco free campuses for all third-level institutions in consultation with key stakeholders.
The HSE continues to engage with tobacco stakeholders through a Partners Group and has provided supports in terms of Tobacco Free Campus implementation from various third level institutions. The HSE has a website, askaboutalcohol.ie, which provides advice to young people with regard alcohol consumption.
Reducing the harms caused to individuals, families and communities by substance misuse is a core goal of the National Drugs Strategy. 'Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery’.
The HSE, in partnership with the Union of Students in Ireland earlier this year launched a harm-reduction information campaign, called #SaferStudentNights and has also run initiatives over the summer to counteract drug taking. These include harm reduction stands at three university events to discuss end of academic year celebrations and festivals and a campaign through drugs.ie aimed at university students and festival goers.
A Healthy Ireland Healthy Campus initiative is currently being developed in consultation with the third level sector and is likely to be formally launched in the near future. The Healthy Campus initiative will provide a collaborative platform to deliver health and wellbeing initiatives across campuses in a consistent manner and provide a platform for sharing best practice on implementation.