Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 May 2022
228. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost to adequately resource the National Sexual Health Strategy; and to involve women across the lifecourse in its periodic review. [25131/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Sexual Health Strategy, 2015-2020, (NSHS) was launched in October 2015. It takes a life course approach, acknowledging the importance of developing a healthy attitude to sexuality in young people and of building on that foundation for positive sexual health and wellbeing into adulthood and older age.
Current priority deliverables under the Strategy are HIV prevention, including the continued expansion of a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) programme, which commenced in late 2019, and the HIV Fast Track Cities programme, involving Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
Other key areas of work include expanding access to contraception, free of charge; expanding sexually transmitted infection (STI) services, progressing a population survey on sexual health and improving sexual health education, training and resources, including in schools, higher and further education.
A review of the Strategy began in 2021, having been postponed as a result of the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Focus group meetings were held with key stakeholders, including clinical and public health staff, the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) team, those working in STI clinics, the education sector, the Department of Health and Women’s Health Taskforce, the research and academic sector and organisations representing the LGBTI+ community.
The detailed feedback from these meetings has been collated and will inform the future direction of the next iteration of the strategy. Commissioning an external review of the Strategy has been approved and is currently progressing through standard procurement processes. It is envisaged that the procurement process will conclude by July, with the Review to take 3-4 months once commenced. When complete, the Report will be published on the Healthy Ireland website. Results will, in turn, inform future policy direction and the Women's Health Taskforce will continue to provide input as the policy is implemented.
Funding to support implementation of NSHS is provided to the HSE SHCPP as part of the annual Budget process. An additional €3.3m was allocated in Budget 2022 for the expansion of online STI testing and for continuation of two other Sláintecare Integration Fund projects. supporting sexual health services in Athlone Institute of Technology and north inner-city Dublin. Of further relevance to sexual and reproductive healthcare and services, €9m was also provided for the rollout of free contraception for women aged 17-25, as per the Programme for Government Commitment. This is scheduled to commence in August, 2022
Funding for the next iteration of the NSHS will be considered as part of the annual Budgetary process and will be contingent on, firstly, the recommendations of the forthcoming external review, secondly, monitoring and evaluation of existing and new 2022 initiatives and finally, public health considerations relating to STI prevention and treatment.
