The Sexual Health Centre (SHC) has launched its annual report for 2022, showcasing the organisation's commitment to providing accessible and innovative sexual health services to the community. 2022 represented a return to normal service, with quality and innovation remaining at the heart of the organisation. The Sexual Health Centre provided sexual health services online, over the phone, and in person throughout 2022. They also launched an online booking service for rapid HIV testing, and introduced a TikTok account to make sexual health even more accessible and visible in the lives of the Cor ..read more

On Tuesday 28th June, the Sexual Health Centre’s 2021 Annual Report was launched by Lord Mayor, Deirdre Forde at City Hall in Cork. Despite the lingering challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic, the centre expanded programmes into local communities to ensure accessible sexual health services were available to all. In  partnership with Cork Local and Southern Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Forces, the centre launched DASH (Drugs, Alcohol and Sexual Health. The mobile unit delivers rapid HIV testing, condom provision, drug and alcohol assessments and support within local communities. This ser ..read more

It is with very heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of our friend and colleague Barrie Deehan’s passing. Barrie lived and worked with such passion, kindness and humility. He dedicated much of his life to supporting and advocating on behalf of young people across Cork. Barrie will be so missed, and we would like to extend our sincere and deepest sympathies to his family and friends. https://rip.ie/death-notice/barrie-deehan-castlemartyr-cork/479389 ..read more

The Sexual Health Hubs’ free period product initiative was launched in Clonakilty today by TD Holly Cairns. The Sexual Health Hub project was first launched in September 2020  by the Sexual Health Centre, as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The hubs are now being expanded – in terms of location and service provision – to ensure that period products are more accessible to young people across Cork City and County. The Hubs project won this year’s Youth in Community Award at the Lifelong Learning Festival Awards in October this year for its innovation and unique multifaceted approach to ..read more

On Saturday 4th of December, the Sexual Health Centre will host its annual World AIDS Day run in conjunction with the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP), Parkrun and Healthy Ireland, in a bid to highlight free rapid HIV testing services, and to tackle HIV stigma. It is estimated that over 7,000 people in Ireland are living with HIV today. About 15% of that number don't know that they have HIV as they have never been tested or have contracted HIV since their last test.  Ciarán Lynch, Chairperson of the Sexual Health Centre highlights how the U=U message (Und ..read more

Open Call | Invitation to Tender for an artist to deliver a mural in Cork city for the End HIV Stigma Project   Proposals to be submitted by 12 noon on Monday, September 20th, 2021.   The Sexual Health Centre is seeking tenders from suitably qualified artists (individuals or groups) to design and deliver a mural for the End HIV Stigma Project. ‘End HIV Stigma’ is a creative outreach project that aims to reduce stigma about HIV in Cork by bringing the topic into public conversation and public space, educating the general public about the progress in HIV care, celebrating how far we’ve ..read more

In a landmark partnership for the Cork and Kerry region, the Sexual Health Centre has launched a joint community initiative with Cork Local and Southern Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Forces.  The organisations are leading out on a unique mobile health service which travels to any and every part of Cork and Kerry - making support, information and interventions available to all.   The ‘DASH’ (Drugs, Alcohol & Sexual Health) unit was launched at St. Finbarr’s Campus in Cork city today (Friday). The project is the first of its kind in Ireland, providing community-wide mobile servi ..read more

Annual report 2020 Annual report 2020 - PDF Annual report 2020 - interactive Surge in demand for LGBTI+ supports, reports the Sexual Health Centre Demand for sexual health support for members of the LGBTI+ community saw a 37% increase last year, the Sexual Health Centre has noted in its Annual Report for 2020. The Centre introduced the dedicated LGBTI+ sexual health support service in 2019 to provide guidance on healthy relationships, sexual issues, sexual function, orientation, risk, and ‘coming out’. These services were of particular importance due to the pandemic and the isolation ex ..read more

Irish teens need inclusive Relationships and Sexuality Education, according to the Sexual Health Centre in Cork city. Today (Tuesday, 23rd March) marks the launch of the Centre’s SHIFT (Sexual Health Information For Teens) booklet. The resource has been created to help young people, of all sexualities and genders, navigate areas of sexual health such as puberty, sex, relationships, and everything in between.  The Centre’s Executive Director, Dr. Martin Davoren noted the importance of providing people with factual information around their sexual health: “Every young person should be given ..read more

Post-termination support was in high demand last year, according to the Sexual Health Centre’s annual report for 2019.  The Centre saw a 1.5-fold increase in counselling sessions for people who had had a termination, from one-hundred-and-fifty-seven counselling sessions in 2018 to two-hundred-and-thirty-six in 2019. Ciarán Lynch, Chairperson of the Sexual Health Centre, highlighted the importance of widespread accessibility to sexual and reproductive health services: “In 2019, we saw a rise in the number of people engaging with services for sexual health, post-termination ..read more