Since 2003 the Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) along with Gay Health Network (GHN) has organised the Annual All Ireland Gay Health Forums (GHF) in June each year.  The forum is kindly supported by the Minister of Health, Chairperson of the National AIDS Strategy Committee and the Department of Health and Children. The fora provide an opportunity for participants to learn, share ideas, experiences and skills, and network.  Many presentations from the all the Gay Health Fora are available in PDF from gmhsadmin@hse.ie or www.ghn.ie

GHF10: The 10^th Annual Gay Health Forum, Friday 8^th June 2012, Dublin Castle – details to follow

GHF 9: 2011 Research-Engage-Action-Resource Friday 17^th June 2011 Dublin Castle.

GHF 9 was launched by Ms Laverne McGuiness, National Director and HSE Board Member, Laverne welcomed all participants and speakers, and those who travelled from Germany, Latvia and the UK.  GHF9 is.. ‘organised by the HSE’s Gay Men’s Health Service and the Gay Health Network, and I would like at the outset to acknowledge the support of the Minister for Health, the Department of Health and Children and the National AIDS Strategy Committee for this event.

In 2011, despite all the work that has been done, HIV and sexual health service

delivery, education and prevention work remains as vital as ever. The World Health Organisation and the National AIDS Strategy Committee acknowledges that Men Who Have Sex with Men, continue to be a key target group for these initiatives. Today’s forum, therefore, is an important event in delivering on these priority areas, as it presents an opportunity to reflect on your work to date and to plan how this work can be progressed in the years to come. In conclusion, I want to thank you for the invitation to open today’s Forum and for your kind attention. On a personal level I am always delighted to attend a Forum such as this, as I genuinely value the work you do, while recognising that in an organisation as large as the HSE it does not always have the visibility it richly deserves”.

Various presentations covered

• Trends in HIV among MSM in Ireland: showed testing is higher among MSM living in urban areas with one-in-four MSM testing for HIV with a GP while two-in-three had tested at a clinic.
• Launch of the 2nd EMIS Community Report:
• Update on the joint GHN/HSE HIV Prevention and Awareness Programme:
• The 3rd Noel Walsh Memorial Presentation - Living with HIV: What the EMIS Research Shows: The data in an Irish context showed the largest number of responses ever, with 143 MSM identifying as living with HIV. 40% of these respondents were diagnosed since 2005; 73% of the 143 were on treatment and 83% had undetectable viral loads. Importantly, between one quarter and two thirds were affected by HIV-related stigma. More in the upcoming report by GHN and GMHS
• The LGBT Refugee Project: by BeLonG To Youth Services, an overview of this new exciting initiative and the process involved in the assessment and consultation process.
• Update from SWAI: an overview of the activities of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI)
• Update on HIV testing initiatives from The Rainbow Project NI
• Homophobia and MSM Research Findings: in Real Lives 28% experienced verbal abuse within the previous year rising to 34% in the EMIS study. For physical attacks, within the previous 12 months, it was 7% in Real Lives and 4% of the 2,595 MSM respondents in EMIS. Further details will be forthcoming in the EMIS Ireland reports.
• Stand Up! by BeLonGTo.org : an overview of the 2011 Stand Up! LGBT Awareness Week campaign in schools and youth organisations. The new short film associated with the campaign was also shown at the forum and at that time there was over half a million views of the film on You Tube.

Overall GHF9 was a very successful event. The organiser would like to thank all the participants and presenters, Laverne McGuiness for launching the day, the Minister for Health, the Social Inclusion Department DOHC and NASC Education and Prevention Sub-Committee for their support.

GHF 8: 2010 Communication-Action-Partnership Friday 18th June 2010, Dublin Castle

The Gay Men's Health Service (GMHS) HSE and our partners Gay Health Network (GHN), with the support of the DOHC and Minister Aine Brady TD., Chairperson of NASC, is pleased to announce the 8th Annual All-Ireland Gay Health Forum (GHF8) on Friday 18th June, Dublin Castle.
The advancement for LGBT people in Ireland has become more apparent in the last year especially with younger LGBT visibility on national television and development of youth dedicated services. In the meantime, in these difficult times, HIV and sexual health, service delivery and promotional work is both ongoing and demanding, and many initiatives have been implemented and indeed more are planned.

GHF 7: 2009 "Heroes" June 12th Dublin Castle

The Gay Men's Health Service (GMHS) HSE and our partners Gay Health Network (GHN) is pleased to announce the 7th Annual All-Ireland Gay Health Forum (GHF7) to be held Friday 12th June next at Dublin Castle. GHF 7 presents an opportunity for those involved in HIV, AIDS, Sexual Health and other health related work with MSM and LGBT people, to network, share and indeed celebrate the continuation of all our efforts in advancing the health and well being in Ireland. GHF7 is free and as places are limited they will be assigned on a first register basis. It is advised to register as soon as possible. Confirmation of a place and detailed a programme will e-mailed to you from the 25th May. 

GHF 6: 2008 “On the One Road” June 26th Dublin Castle

Details for GHF 6 2008: “On the One Road” held June 26th 2008 in Dublin Castle are available from gmhsadmin@hse.ie

GHF 5: 2007 “INCLUSION” Dublin Castle

The theme, INCLUSION,  highlighted the issues, for an inclusive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, for health service providers and for policy makers and planners.  Topics covered included the HSE’s  forthcoming mapping exercise and report of  LGBT health related services in Ireland and a presentation of a similar one held in Scotland, sexual health for gay and bisexual men, invisibility of lesbian health issues, disability,  mental health, drug use and LGBT youth.  There were presentations on: Drugs Use Among LGBT Young People the Report by the BelonGTo Youth Project . The “Stamp Out Stigma” Campaign in Ireland on Challenging HIV and AIDS discrimination.  Global LGBT A presentation on the issues facing LGBT people in Uganda. Hard Facts = Hard Choices and the Use of methods to promote safer sex, among gay and bisexual men. Such as the establishment of a new website in the UK. There were workshops on Working with Deaf LGBT people (Greenbow and GMHP);  Onsite HIV, syphilis and other testing (Yorkshire MESMAC); Training on risk assessment on suicide (HSE Access Team); Training on risk assessment self harming (HSE Access Team),

GHF4: 2006 “REAL Men” Dublin Castle.

The theme “REAL MEN” (Representation, Empowerment, Assessment and Location) highlighted the realities of the lives of gay and bisexual men on the island of Ireland.  Issues covered: recent research results, sexual health issues, hate crimes, mental health, ethnic profiles of GMHP service attendees, body image, ethnicity, HIV secondary prevention, transgender & services. Specially launched at this event were;

“Understanding Real Lives” -Findings from the All-Ireland Gay Men’s Sex Survey 2003 & 2004 (by ARK Queen’s University, GMHP, The Rainbow Project and Sigma Research).“HIV Charter”, A charter of rights for HIV positive persons (by Positive Voices)

GHF3: 2005 “20/20 Visions of Gay Health”  Dublin Castle

Launched by Sean Power TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, the theme highlighted the twenty years since the founding of Gay Health Action (GHA) -the first AIDS/HIV awareness group in Ireland- and the changes in issues relating to HIV/AIDS and sexual health for gay and bisexual men.  Presentations and workshops on topics such as; New Research Data, New STI’s! (LGV), Sexual Addiction, The LGBT Training Course for Counsellors, The Internet, (HIV) Positive Happenings, Sexual Assault.

A special presentation and workshop was held on “The Challenges in HIV” with National and International Perspectives regarding “Criminalisation, Disclosure, Notification, Normalisation.”  Issues such as; disclosure and non-disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners, legal implications, partner and statutory notification of HIV, reporting HIV, Race and Ethnicity, and what is meant by HIV normalisation.

GHF2: 2004 “Transmitting Messages” Ash Suite, Croke Park.

The theme highlighted the many aspects of sexual health promotion and service delivery, the issues facing gay and bisexual men, the service providers, including gay community groups.  Dealing with images, messages, and delivery methods in relation to sex and sexual health, the forum provided an opportunity for people involved in this area to share ideas, experiences and skills.  The programme headings; Settings, Profiles, Actions & Issues contained some suggestions from GHF1, along with presentations, roundtable discussions and small workshops.  

GHF1: 2003. “Viva La Diferencia”  Conference Centre, St Brendan’s Hospital. 

This Forum marked the tenth anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexual acts in the Republic of Ireland (June 1993). The theme provided for presentations and workshops exploring the varied profiles of gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, such as, social class, ethnicity and culture. The intervention methods both needed and practised in promoting HIV prevention and sexual health awareness with these groups.   The findings from  “Vital Statistics Ireland- findings from the all-Ireland gay sex survey 2000” (GHN/Sigma 2002) were presented for use as a framework for HIV prevention and sexual health strategies.