This article is from page 6 of the 2007-09-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE HSE is facing criticism for not upgrading the mid-west’s Sexual As- sault Treatment Unit (SATU) – leav- ing it the only region in the country without a full time dedicated unit.
Last week the health service an- nounced that it was expanding its SATUs by opening two new units in Galway and Mullingar.
The HSE failed, however, to give
the same privileges to the mid-west which already has a part-time SATU in Limerick servicing the county as well as Clare and Tipperary.
The service for victims of rape and sexual assault began operating in February 27, 2006.
By the end of that year it had helped 31 people, a number that has now esrown to 66.
According to a report into the first 10 months of its operation, eight peo-
ple from Clare were sent to the unit by gardai from Clare. Four of those using the service in that period gave a Clare address.
The service includes access to emergency contraception, referral information on screening for sexu- ally transmitted infections and rape crisis counselling.
Prior to February 2006 sexual as- sault victims were forced to travel to Cork for such a service.
In 2004 14 people from Clare were forced to make the arduous journey south, while eight people from the county travelled to Cork for the serv- ice in 2003 and again in 2005.
Despite its use the unit in the mid- west 1s now to be overshadowed by a full-time, new service in Galway.
As aresult doctors appointed to the new Galway unit will receive pay deals and nursing back up not avail- able to the Clare and Limerick GPs
working with the service.
In the Midwest, Shannondoc pro- vides the call-out facilities for the service when a victim is referred by the gardai.
The Mid Western Regional Hospi- tal Limerick provides use of a desig- nated clinic room located in the Out Patients Department. The Limerick Rape Crisis Centre, a confidential service, provides a crisis response to victims of recent sexual assault.