Minister for Health announces very high uptake for free contraception scheme
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 28 October 2022
- Last updated on: 1 November 2022
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced very high participation in the free contraception scheme which is administered in GPs and Pharmacies.
Free contraception, for women aged 17–25, has been available from GPs, primary care centres and pharmacists since early September. Since the scheme was launched, 2,108 GPs and 1,458 pharmacies have completed contracts with the HSE to provide services. Additional applications from GPs and pharmacies are still in process with a total of 2,831 applications from GPs and 1908 from pharmacists received. This represents the vast bulk of GPs and pharmacists who currently provide services under the General Medical Services scheme.
The free contraception scheme covers 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 be announcing that there has been such a huge uptake of GPs and pharmacists who have signed up to deliver the free contraception scheme. Free contraception was one of main recommendations accompanying the Repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution and is a vital Programme for Government commitment. This truly is a landmark scheme in the context of women’s healthcare in Ireland and I would like to recognise and thank all of those who have worked hard to bring us to this point.
"In Budget 2022, I secured €9 million to implement and deliver this scheme and I was very pleased to be able to secure further investment in Budget 2023 to extend the scheme from 1 September 2023 to cover all women aged between aged between 17 and 30, and if possible (subject to legal advice, comprehensive consultation across Government and subsequent legislative amendment), to extend to aged 16. This is another milestone development for the health and wellbeing of the women of Ireland."
The HSE's Sexual Health and Wellbeing website contains more information on the free contraception scheme including information on costs covered, the types of contraception available and covered along with emergency contraception.
Notes
Free contraception scheme
The free contraception scheme funds 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 (for example, 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
- the cost of training and certifying additional GPs and other medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs
Funding of approximately €9 million has been allocated for the scheme in Budget 2022. Further funding of approximately €32 million is provided, through Budget 2023, to support the contraception scheme and to expand it to include 16–30-year-olds in 2023. The scheme will be expanded to include 26-year-olds on 1 January 2023, with 16- and 27–30-year-olds becoming eligible on 1 September 2023. The expansion of the scheme to 16-year-olds is subject to legal advice, detailed consultation and the required legislative amendments.
This means that, until 1 January 2023, 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. From 1 January 2023, it is envisaged that full eligibility will be extended to 26-year-olds. Eligibility will be further extended to 27–30-year-olds from 1 September 2023.