Minister for Health Simon Harris today published a policy review of the Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATU) and committed an additional €0.5 million to fund its recommendations.
The ten actions contained in the review include increasing and ring-fencing the SATU budget by 25 per cent.
“The Review seeks to ensure a coordinated national health response to sexual assault,” said Minister Harris.
“I am pleased to announce an additional €0.5 million in funding for the SATU service in 2019 so that this much-needed work can begin immediately.”
Dr Maeve Eogan, the National Medical Director of SATU said “Patients are always at the centre of our service and staff’s minds and we continually strive to do our best for them. This has not always been an easy task to due staff shortages and increasing demands.
“The actions set out in this review will support us better in ensuring we continue to provide a high-quality service to patients as close to home as possible.”
The six SATUs provide 24/7 medical and psychological care to victims of sexual assault, 365 days a year, working in close collaboration with the Rape Crisis Centres and An Garda Síochána.
