Minister Donnelly congratulated An Integrated Student Sexual Health, Contraception & Health Promotion Service who won the Sláintecare Right Care Right Time Right Place category at the Health Service Excellence Awards this afternoon.
This was the first year that a Sláintecare category was included in the Health Service Excellence Awards which encourage and inspire people to develop better health services.
The Sláintecare category winning project is a student sexual health service project delivered directly to students on campus at the Athlone campus of Technological University of the Shannon Midlands (TUS), formally Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). Students at TUS Midland’s now have access to a comprehensive student sexual health service. This service meets the needs of TUS Midland’s growing student population – 61% of whom are aged 18-24 and are classified as ‘high risk’ for sexually transmitted infections (STI).
Minister Donnelly said: “This is a pioneering nurse-led service that benefits students by enabling equitable access, early treatment and improved follow up, all within their campus community, reflecting the values of Sláintecare – providing the right care at the right time in the right place.
“This is another important step as we improve access to healthcare services for people right across sociect and follows yesterday’s announcement of free contraception, for women aged 17–25 from GPs, primary care centres and pharmacists who sign up to provide services under the scheme.
The project is led by Institute Nurse and Health Centre Coordinator Laura Tully, who accepted the Excellence Award for her project. Laura who has advocated for a service for students for many years said: “Previously, students faced travel times of up to an hour to find a specialised sexual health service, 90% of those referred simply did not attend those clinics and many presented inappropriately to emergency rooms or out of hours GP services. This project epitomises the Sláintecare vision, students now have access to an equitable, accessible service based on need right within their own campus community, and they can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
“This project will ensure that students can access comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual health education and information and will have access to appropriate prevention and promotion services. This will ultimately encourage the development of a healthy sexuality throughout life; enhance people’s lives and relationships; reduce negative outcomes such as STIs and crisis pregnancies and create an environment that supports sexual health and wellbeing. The service is being delivered in line with the aims of the HSE National Sexual Health Strategy (2015-2020) and the Healthy Ireland Framework (2013-2025).”