Health Services

HSE National Social Inclusion Office and Translate Ireland have developed a series of videos entitled My Health, My Language for Foreign Nationals to give you information on healthcare in Ireland.

Please visit https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/mhml/english.html and choose your preferred language.

Medical Card

If you seek asylum, or are a beneficiary of temporary protection in Ireland, you can apply for a medical card. The medical card gives you and your family access to medical services free of charge. If you do not apply for and receive a medical card, you will be asked to pay for certain medical services.

To apply a medical card you must have a PPSN for each person who is applying. You can apply online for a medical card and a GP visit card on Medical Card Online. This is the quickest way of getting the card.

Alternatively you can apply for a medical card by posting the MC1 application form: https://assets.hse.ie/media/documents/Medical_Card_and_GP_Visit_Card_Application_Form.pdf

Make sure all your information is correct and include all supporting documentation.

If you have any questions before you send your application, you can phone Lo-call 0818 22 44 78.

Post the completed form to:

National Medical Card Unit, PO Box 11745, Dublin 11, D11 XKF3

You need to inform HSE when you change address. You must state your name, name of all dependents linked to the card, card number, PPS number and new address. The most effective way of doing this is through email: nmcu.cod@hse.ie. You can also call 0818 22 44 78.

If you arrived from Ukraine and have temporary protection, you should apply for your medical card using a special medical card application form for people from Ukraine - go to https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/healthcare-in-ireland/english/ukrainian-nationals.html#medical-card.

The medical card application form is available here in Ukrainian (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/healthcare-in-ireland/medical-card-form-mc1-u-form-ukrainian.pdf), Russian (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/healthcare-in-ireland/medical-card-form-mc1-u-form-russian.pdf) and English (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/healthcare-in-ireland/medical-card-form-ukraine-nationals-english.pdf).

You can email your completed form to PCRS.Applications@HSE.ie or by post to the address on the form.

The HSE has a call line 0818 22 44 78 for medical card queries. If people cannot speak English they can still ring this number - the person who answers will fill out a form and arrange a call back with a Ukrainian speaker.

To read more please visit https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/medical-cards-and-gp-visit-cards/medical-card/

General Practitioners (GPs)

General practitioners (GPs) are family doctors. They treat all common medical conditions. A GP is usually the first doctor you will see about non-emergency illnesses and health issues. They refer people to hospitals and medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.

To find a GP please visit https://www2.hse.ie/services/find-a-gp/

If you can’t get a GP to accept you on their patient list, try another GP in your area.

Contact the HSE if 3 GPs have declined to accept you on to their patient list and the HSE will assign you a GP

HSE Live

HSE Live can give you the names and contact numbers of GP’s in your area and answer general questions about the health service.

HSE Live is open:

  • Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm
  • Saturday: 9am to 5pm
  • Closed Sunday and bank holidays

Phone

  • Freephone: 1800 700 700
  • Phone: 01 240 87 87

Twitter

If you have no GP

Currently the HSE is running GP clinics for IPAs and BoTPs who do not have any assigned GP.

Ukrainians and IPAs can ring 087 332 9744 to make an appointment. If there is no answer please send a text message (sms). This will be responded to in a timely manner. You can text in English or your own native language.

Care Doc is an Urgent Out of Hours GP service for patients who cannot safely wait to see their own GP. Care Doc operates strictly by appointment only and is not a walk-in service. Phone  on LoCall number (0818) 300 365 or 059 913 8100 for medical assistance.

Care Doc is not an Emergency Service. Patients who require emergency medical attention should attend their nearest hospital Emergency Department (ED) or phone 999 or 112.

Care Doc operates from 6pm Friday to 8am Monday (including Bank Holidays). 

Hospitals

St Luke's General Hospital Carlow Kilkenny (R95 FY71):

An Emergency Department (ED) deals with serious injuries, unexpected and life-threatening emergencies.

Phone 112 or 999 if you need urgent medical help or don’t know what to do.

Hospital address:

Freshford Road,

Kilkenny City,

Kilkenny,

R95 FY71

Maternity Care

Every woman who is pregnant and ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to free maternity care under the Maternity and Infant Scheme. Ordinarily resident means you are living here, or you intend to remain living here for at least one year. This service is provided by a family doctor (GP) of your choice and a hospital obstetrician. You are entitled to this service even if you do not have a medical card.

Mental Health

You can access a wide range of mental health supports and services from information on how to self-help and helplines to talk to someone, through to online and in-person services such as counselling and advocacy.

  • Find information about all the mental health support available at https://www2.hse.ie/mental-health/ or by calling the HSE Your Mental Health information line on 1800 111 888.
  • 'Aware' provide free support, education and information to those impacted by mental health concerns. For information or to find a local support group, visit https://www.aware.ie/
  • 'My Mind' provides counselling and psychotherapy at a reduced price. This service is provided in English and a range of other languages. Visit https://www.mymind.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiq7346_1igMVL6JQBh1XxSe3EAAYASAAEgI8ivD_BwE
  • ISPCC: Childline offer a confidential 24-hour Text and Chat service for children and young people up to the age of 18 to talk about any issue. Text 50101 or register for the online chat service at https://www.childline.ie/,  call 1800 66 66 66.
  • 'Living Works START Programme': Living Works START is a 90 minute online interactive training programme that will give you the skills and knowledge to keep others safe from suicide.  Please click on attached link: https://livingworks.net/training/livingworks-start/
  • Anyone in urgent need of Mental Health Services can access this through a GP or if after 5pm they can ring St Luke’s Hospital on 056 7785109 or attend the hospital and ask for the Mental Health Crisis Team

Dental and Orthodontic Services in Kilkenny

Free dental services are available to adults over 16 with a medical card through the Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS). Services available to medical card holders include: a dental examination and teeth cleaning. There are very limited services available under this scheme.

When you call for an appointment, please tell the receptionist you have a medical card and they will tell you if they are members of the Dental Treatment Scheme - otherwise you will have to pay.

Primary school children in target primary school classes , usually 1st/2nd class and 6th class, and children with special needs are offered scheduled appointments where their oral health is assessed and limited routine treatment is provided during follow up appointments.

The clinic to which your child will be called is based on the location of their primary school. Contact details for the Kilkenny HSE dental clinics is given below. Some of the smaller clinics do not open every day.  Appointments are on weekdays and will likely occur during school hours.

Urgent dental care is available for children under 16 years of age, following triage, and is by appointment only. The definition of urgent dental care includes uncontrolled bleeding, pain, trauma, abscess and swelling.

If your child requires an urgent appointment please phone St James Green Community Care on 056 7784600 between 9am and 9:30am, staff will try to give you an appointment as soon as possible. The earlier the call is received the earlier the problem can be dealt with.

There are currently no walk-in clinics operating.

Orthodontic Service:

Children will be assessed at the 6th class check-up to determine if they are likely to qualify for orthodontic treatment with the HSE (qualification as per the Department of Health’s Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need).  Children who are likely to qualify are then referred to the HSE Orthodontic Service for a full orthodontic examination where they may be placed on a waiting list for orthodontic treatment if deemed within the guidelines by the orthodontic department.

If your child does not attend for their 6th class check-up it may not be possible to refer them to the HSE Orthodontic Service at a later stage.

A Guide to Quitting Smoking

If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health.  If you’re ready to QUIT, the HSE are ready to help.  Please visit the following website for the tips, tools and support you need: https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/quit-smoking/

You can also download a guide in several languages (including Arabic, French, Ukrainian) - You need to scroll down and search by topic (enter Smoking) and you can download it: https://www.healthpromotion.ie/

Sexual Health

The Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) published a number of easy-to-read guides designed to present information on the different aspects of Sexual Health in an accessible way. For more information visit https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/

Contraception

Women and people with a uterus aged 17 to 26 can get contraception for free.

The costs covered include:

  • GP or doctor’s appointments - to talk about contraception options and for repeat prescriptions when needed
  • Prescriptions given by your doctor - these will be given free of charge at participating pharmacies
  • Your choice of contraception - from the types covered below
  • Fittings and removals of implants and IUDs or IUSs (coils)
  • Any check-ups or other follow-up care needed, relating to your implant or coil
  • Emergency contraception (morning after pill)

Comprehensive information on the range of contraceptive methods is very important to enable people to make informed decisions about the most appropriate method of contraception for them.

 ‘What you need to know about contraception’ - This is an easy-to-read guide designed to present information on the different methods of contraception in an accessible way.

This guide is intended to support women (and their partners) to choose a method of contraception; or to be used as part of a contraception consultation with a doctor or family planning clinic in discussing the options available - https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/contraception/talking-about-contraception/talking-to-your-partner/hse_your-contraceptive-choices_online.pdf

A guide to Contraception is available in ten languages (including Arabic, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Urdu) please click on this link: https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/contraception/resources/

Unplanned Pregnancy

'My Options' is a HSE service that provides confi­dential information and support if you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Professional, experienced counsellors can talk to you about all your options, including continued pregnancy supports and abortion services. Contact the My Options Freephone line on 1800 828 010. For more information visit https://www2.hse.ie/services/unplanned-pregnancy/

If you do not speak English, My Options can provide you with an interpreter. They will help you speak to a 'My Options' counsellor over the phone in your own language.

They can provide an interpreter for 240 different languages. This service is free and confidential.

If you would like to speak to a MyOptions counsellor using an interpreter, call them on freephone 1800 82 80 10.

You or someone on your behalf will need to:

  • Tell them what language you speak
  • Give them your phone number

An interpreter will phone you back for a 3-way call between:

  • You
  • a 'My Options' counsellor
  • The interpreter

Emergencies

For Fire, Ambulance or Police please call 112 or 999

You  need to say: "I need an ambulance/police/fire service" and "My address is..."

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