Written answers
Wednesday, 13 January 2021
Department of Health
Departmental Strategies
Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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764. To ask the Minister for Health if a successor to the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020 is being developed; if so, the timelines for same; the way in which he plans to have interested stakeholders contribute to the formation of a new strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44701/20]
Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that 2020 was intended to be the final year in the lifetime of the current National Sexual Health Strategy.
It had been envisaged that the Department of Health and the HSE Sexual Health Crisis Pregnancy Programme would, in 2020, review the position with regard to the future direction of the Strategy. However, it was necessary to postpone this work due to the urgent need to mobilise and prioritise resources in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is the intention of this Department that the review of the NSHS will take place as soon as possible in 2021. While the outcome of this review will determine the future direction of the Strategy, it will also be necessary to ensure that any remaining work items arising from the current Strategy continue to be implemented.
In light of this, officials from my Department recently wrote to the Interim Programme Lead for the HSE SHCPP, suggesting that we extend the lifetime of the current NSHS to the end of 2021, and requesting that the HSE take any necessary measures to incorporate this into the service planning process.
Consultation with the relevant stakeholders will be carried out in the course of the review process.
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