Other health news in brief
Increase in STI clinic attendance
THERE HAS been a 13 per cent increase in the attendance at STI clinics, the 2009 Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) annual report has shown. Many of these attendees had never previously had a HIV or syphilis blood test or STI screen. Of the 655 first-time attendees, 8.4 per cent received an STI diagnoses, 2.6 per cent a positive HIV diagnoses and 4.7 per cent received a syphilis diagnosis. The report was launched at the 8th All-Ireland Gay Health Forum (GHF 8) last week.
HSE invests in addiction and community schemes
A €300,000 investment by the HSE South in community health and addiction services in disadvantaged areas on Cork’s northside has been welcomed by local community groups who say that it will help address health inequalities in the area. The investment was announced by HSE South regional director of operations, Pat Healy, who said the money would be used to develop and expand community health and addiction projects from Knocknaheeny in the northwest across to Mayfield in the northeast of the city. The HSE will provide funding for a fourth community health worker for the Hazard Action Zone on the northside, support community participation in primary care teams dealing with child health and family support as well as a part-time worker for a senior citizens group, he said.
It would also provide funding for a new family support initiative in Knocknaheeny and Farranree along with additional nursing supports for drug and alcohol services, and allow for new Cork Local Drugs Task Force projects, he added. The HSE will not be recruiting any additional staff itself because of the moratorium on public service recruitment but it will provide funding to the various voluntary groups to hire the additional staff necessary to provide the services.
Among those to welcome the investment was Sr Finbarr Kelly of the Senior Citizens Centre, who said the extra funding would enable the development of a new service for the elderly in the Knocknaheeny and Hollyhill areas which would promote healthy ageing activities for people.
Claddagh school gets speech therapy project
A NEW speech therapy pilot project will enable a Galway national school to employ a speech therapist for two years and, if successful, the project could be rolled out across the State.
The project has been welcomed by Green Party Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin, who had lobbied intensely for the initiative along with school principal, Brendan Forde.
“Many parents find it difficult to secure speech therapy services for their children and this project will allow the school to provide this essential service,” said Senator Ó Brolcháin.
He said that by intervening early with children in need of speech therapy, the State would be making considerable savings in the long term, and the project provided excellent value for money.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health explained that Minister for Health Mary Harney had recently visited the school and was very impressed with it. Although a mainstream school, the Claddagh national school caters for children with special needs as well as pupils from some 40 different nationalities.
One of the issues that was raised by the school principal was the deficit of speech therapy services for pupils and the Minister could definitely see a need for such services in this school. In trying to find an innovative way to help, she suggested that the school apply for lottery funding for a health project.
The DoH spokeswoman explained that the Claddagh project would be a pilot project and the need for such a service in other schools would have to be looked at on an individual basis.