Sexual health plan for NI blocked by absence of government, charity warns

A sexual health action plan for Northern Ireland cannot be implemented due to the lack of a functioning government, a conference has heard.

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV annual conference has heard calls for the return of the Executive to enable the implementation of the plan being drafted by the Department of Health.

Jacquie Richardson, the chief executive of Positive Life, which supports people in Northern Ireland who have been diagnosed with HIV,
said civil servants should not have had to step in to complete the draft sexual health plan.

“We are jeopardising the sexual health of everyone who is sexually active in Northern Ireland if further delay is made to the agreement and implementation of the Sexual Health Action Plan currently being drafted by the Department of Health,” she said.

“Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK without a strategic plan for sexual health improvement and promotion. This simply cannot continue.

“While it is welcome that a plan is in the final stages of completion, it should not have needed the Civil Service to step in and do the job.

“A health minister should be in post working with officials to ensure the plan is ambitious, fit for purpose and funded.”

The Stormont Assembly and Executive are not functioning due to the DUP’s boycott of powersharing institutions as a protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Positive Life is calling for the inclusion of a number of key actions in the draft sexual health legislation.

These include the delivery of a fully funded Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) strategy that includes education on HIV, and mandatory training on HIV and sexual health for the entire health and social care workforce to address stigma and improve knowledge.

Ms Richardson has said that the current sexual health plan will not go far enough to meet a World Health Organisation target.

“As with many areas of sexual health policy, we are concerned that the current draft will not go far enough to meet the World Health Organisation target of ending HIV diagnoses by 2030.

“Given the comparatively small number of people living with HIV in Northern Ireland, we believe that it is possible to be world-leading in ending new HIV diagnoses and deliver on the 2030 ambition if the commitment and investment is made by the department.”

She added: “If we want to meet ambitious targets and tackle HIV stigma, we need a department that is willing to help fund our vital work.”