A new mobile GP clinic for Roma people was officially opened at Tallaght Hospital’s Education Centre on 5 March.
The Safetynet GP Bus Service will provide a primary care services and paediatric care for Roma people without medical cards in the grounds of Tallaght Hospital every Tuesday from 2-5pm. This follows the success of a pilot scheme that operated from September to December last year.
Deirdre Jacob, chair of the Tallaght Roma Integration Project (Trip) gave some background to the project, which was launched in response to concerns about the experiences and situation of Roma people in Ireland.
“This was a long process and a lot of agencies were involved,” she said. “We used a community development app-roach, which helped us find out the needs of Roma people.”
Jacob explained that “many Roma people are waiting to find out whether or not they will be given leave to stay in the country. As a result they are unable to get social welfare payments, which require ‘habitual residency’ conditions and which are needed to obtain a medical card.
“Consequently they are ineligible for rent allowance payments and are unable to apply for local authority housing. There may also be a lack of education [regarding] entitlements or [they may] experience language barriers.”
Jacobs also noted that some Roma were told they needed work permits to remain in Ireland, even though work restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians were lifted last year.
“There were no organisations taking Roma issues seriously except Pavee Point,” she said, referencing the Irish Traveller support group.
On the new Safetynet service, Jacobs said: “Prior to this many Roma people presented at Tallaght A&E. Some presented late in their illnesses. Many were unable to pay the hospital charge and didn’t receive any follow on treatments.”
Dr Austin O’Carroll, GP and CEO of the Safetynet Primary Care Network, said the network “was set up to provide primary healthcare to homeless people. Forty-five per cent of homeless people don’t have medical cards.”
He added, “The majority of homeless people have difficulty with admin and no way of renewing a medical card without having a permanent address.”
It is hoped that attendance at the mobile clinic will lighten the load on Tallaght Hospital’s busy A&E and be the first step in relieving health inequality to achieve the HSE’s social inclusion mandate.
