Today, the HSE launched a new service to provide free prescription and emergency contraception for 17 to 25 year old women and people.
Full details, including how to access free contraception is available on SexualWellbeing.ie
The free contraception service will cover the full cost of prescription contraception, including the cost of:
- GP or doctor’s appointments – to talk about contraception options and for repeat prescriptions when needed
- Any prescriptions given by your doctor – these will be given free of charge at participating pharmacies
- Your choice of contraception – from a wide range of short-term and long-term contraceptives such as the patch, pill, ring, implant, injection and IUDs
- Fittings and removals of implants and IUDs or IUSs (coils)
- Any check-ups or other follow up care needed, relating to your implant or coil
- Emergency contraception (morning after pill).
To access the service you will need to give a participating GP your PPS number, your date of birth, name and address.
Emergency contraception can be provided by participating pharmacies directly, without the need for a GP visit. You will need to give a participating pharmacy your PPS number, date of birth, name and address.
The scheme is open to GPs to register from today.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said:
I am very pleased to share the news that the free contraception scheme is launching today. Given that the costs of prescription contraception are typically faced by women, the scheme will impact positively on gender equity, reducing costs for women, but also benefitting their partners and families.
Maeve O’Brien, Interim Programme Lead for the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme commented:
This new service is a welcome development. As part of the service, the HSE is launching a campaign to promote the free contraception service and the range of contraceptive options available over the coming weeks. As a first step, we are encouraging those who may be eligible to visit SexualWellbeing.ie to learn more about the service, the contraception options available and how they work. This information will help to support discussions with your GP.”
Dr Ciara McCarthy, ICGP/HSE GP Clinical Lead in Women’s Health added
:
Finding a suitable method of contraception will depend on your needs, your medical history and your own preferences. I would encourage anyone thinking about contraception for the first time, or thinking about changing their contraception, to speak to their GP about the options available. GPs are in a good position to discuss the options and advise about side effects or the method that will suit your needs best. The free GP consultations covered under the new service will give anyone considering availing of free contraception the chance to discuss these questions in full before making an informed decision.
A digital, social and outdoor campaign will go live in the coming weeks to promote the availability the free contraception service, the contraceptive choices available and the importance of discussing these options with your GP.
More information about contraceptive options and the new service is available at sexualwellbeing.ie. Also, follow Sexual Wellbeing on Facebook and Instagram.
A Plain English guide ‘What you need to know about contraception’ has been produced by the HSE. The guide is available in nine languages and will be made available across 800+ waiting rooms including GP surgeries, Health Centres and Hospitals. The guide is also available to order from www.healthpromotion.ie and to download from here https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/contraception/resources/
The scheme will provide for the cost of prescription contraception, the cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception and administration of contraceptive injections plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same, the cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove long-acting reversible contraception, the cost of a maximum of two consultations per annum with GPs and other doctors to discuss forms of contraception suitable for individual patients and to enable prescription of same. https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/830c2-minister-donnelly-secures-free-contraception-for-women-aged-between-17-25-years-in-budget-2022/
Minister for Health launches free contraception scheme for women aged 17–25
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly T.D., has launched the free contraception scheme for women aged 17–25 who reside in Ireland. Funding of €9m has been allocated to support the scheme in Budget 2022.
From today, free contraception, for women aged 17–25, will become available from GPs, primary care centres and pharmacists who sign up to provide services under the scheme. All consultations with a medical practitioner required to access prescription contraception, the fitting of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARCs) and their removal, and the provision of prescription contraception by pharmacists will be free to 17–25-year-olds.
Minister Donnelly said: “I am delighted to announce the commencement of the free contraception scheme for women aged 17–25. Women’s health is a top priority for myself and this Government and was strongly supported in Budget 2022, with €31 million additional funding for new developments in women’s health, including the €9 million for this contraception scheme. Today represents another big milestone in the delivery of our commitments, under the Women’s Health Action Plan 2022 – 2023 to improve all areas of women healthcare. Access to free contraception was a key recommendation accompanying the Repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution and is a key element of the Women’s Health Action Plan. The scheme, a vital Programme for Government commitment, puts women aged 17–25 at its centre in providing a full suite of options for them to choose which form of contraception works best for them. We are removing any financial barriers to the age cohort for whom such barriers are most likely to be an issue”.
From today, and in the coming weeks, service providers including GPs, pharmacies, primary care centres, family planning centres and student health clinics will be signing contracts with the HSE to provide services under the scheme.
Information regarding the scheme will be available through the HSE’s www.sexualwellbeing.ie website. This information will be regularly updated and will provide full details of how to access the scheme.
Free Contraception Scheme
The free contraception scheme will fund access to contraception for women aged 17–25 by providing:
- The cost of prescription contraception;
- The cost of consultations with GPs and other relevant medical professionals to discuss contraceptive options with eligible patients and to provide prescriptions for these;
- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove LARCs (e.g. intrauterine devices (IUD), systems (IUS), coils and implants);
- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which will also be available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs, the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception; and
- The cost of training and certifying additional GPs and other medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs.
Women will be eligible for free contraception under the scheme from their 17th birthday until the day before their 26th birthday. Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted under the scheme will remain eligible for checks and free removal of any devices inserted before their 26th birthday, to ensure their continuity of care.
Women’s Health Action Plan 2022 – 2023
The Women’s Health Action Plan brings a strategic approach to women’s healthcare. Led by input from women around Ireland, the Plan takes a targeted approach to addressing the health issues that affect women’s everyday lives. The Plan is underpinned by ring-fenced funding of €31million, which has a full year cost of €48million.
The Plan identifies gaps in services, improvements needed in women’s experiences of healthcare, vulnerable groups who need additional support as well as opportunities for new research and innovation. In addition to cost barriers, accessibility, stigma and lack of knowledge or information were also recognised as barriers to accessing contraception.
The Plan provides funding for new services, including free contraception for women aged 17-25, which represents a landmark moment for young women and sets out an ambitious programme of work, bringing about progress in key areas of women’s health in Ireland.
The free contraception scheme is a key element of the Women’s Health Action Plan addressing barriers to accessing contraception.
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