Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1772. To ask the Minister for Health when the gay men's health service will be reopened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18936/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Gay Men's Health Service is a community STI service, managed through HSE Community Healthcare East (CHO6). The GMHS was, in fact, reopened in January 2021 on a phased basis, in line with Government and HSE Guidelines, and this phased re-opening is ongoing.

Existing PrEP users are being seen in the GMHS. The Clinic’s Consultant in Infectious Diseases (GMHS and GUIDE Clinic, St James’s Hospital) and other doctors are providing virtual consultations, and PrEP service users attend GMHS for STI screening and blood testing. Those with diagnosed STIs or requiring Hepatitis and/or HPV vaccine continue to be treated in GMHS also.

The temporary closure of the GMHS in 2020 resulted from the pressures arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and related primarily to the necessary redeployment of increasing numbers of personnel to diverse COVID-19 related duties. Staff in the Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) were reassigned, by reason of necessity, to other HSE services. During the GMHS closure, significant efforts were made to maintain service provision through other locations, including the GUIDE Clinic in St. James’ Hospital.

Prior to the pandemic, the GMHS was staffed by 97% agency staff; this is no longer the case. Funding for the PrEP programme allowed pro-rata recurring funding to be allocated to GMHS in 2020. As a result of pandemic related pressures on staffing, recruitment in 2020 was initially focussed on the services required to support the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a recruitment campaign to fill the posts for the GMHS PrEP programme commenced in the latter part of 2020 and is progressing, with administration staff in post and IT improvements and expansion underway.

In summary, a phased reintroduction of STI services is currently under way in GMHS. The GMHS will continue to reinstate services on a phased basis and in line with the HSE’s Safe Return to Health Services Plan and in accordance with all current Public Health COVID guidelines. Officials from the Department of Health and HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme are in regular contact with CHO6 to monitor progress on the phased reopening of the GMHS.

HSE Community Healthcare East advises that they have made every effort to restore and maintain services as far as is possible, given current pandemic related pressures on resources. It is envisaged that the current phased re-opening will continue, subject to demand for health services, arising pandemic related pressures and available resources.

Further, it is hoped that GMHS and wider STI services can be delivered to their full potential and developed further, once pandemic related constraints on the health service as a whole can be safely reduced.