Republic of Ireland

Health Service Executive

The HSE is the state body responsible for providing palliative care services. In order to find your local services you will need to contact your Local Health Office. This will be your entry point to community health and personal social services. The wide range of services that are provided through Local Health Offices and from Health Centres include general practitioner services, public health nursing, community welfare, chiropody, ophthalmic, speech therapy, social work, addiction counselling and treatment, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric services and home help.

Website: http://www.hse.ie – about Palliative Care

Central Remedial Clinic The Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) is a national centre that offers a wide range of rehabilitative services for children and adults with physical and sensory disabilities. The CRC is located in North County Dublin, with regional centres in Clondalkin, Limerick and Waterford.

Website: www.crc.ie

Cheshire Ireland Cheshire Ireland provides a range of support services to people with both physical and neurological conditions in their homes, in residential centres, in supported accommodation and in stand alone respite facilities. We provide our services to people often with very complex and high support needs.

Website: http://www.cheshire.ie/

Enable Ireland Enable Ireland provides free services to children and adults with disabilities and their families from 40 locations in 14 counties. Covering childhood to adulthood the expert teams worth with the individual and their family on a plan for each life stage. Services for children and their families cover all aspects of a child’s physical, educational, and social development from early infancy through adolescence.

Website: www.enableireland.ie

Family Carers Ireland Family Carers Ireland has been embedded in Irish homes for over 30 years delivering premium quality care in the home. Our focus has always been on providing a personalised quality home care service that responds to changing needs with comprehensive, premium quality supports. We are a HSE approved home care provider and pride ourselves in the knowledge that we understand your needs and are truly committed to ensuring you are safe, comfortable and cared for to the highest of standards.

To make a home care services enquiry, please call us today on 1800 929 020 or complete the online form here.

Website: https://familycarers.ie/home-supports

Homecare Helpline: 1800 929 020

Irish Hospice Foundation Night Nurses for non malignant conditions The Irish Hospice Foundation funds the Night Nurses for non-malignant conditions. The aims of ‘Nurses for Night Care’ are to provide necessary support to allow people with illnesses other than cancer to die in their own homes. They also provide respite for families and highlight awareness of the needs of such people and their families. Referrals for IHF-funded night nursing can only be accepted from palliative care professionals.

Website: http://hospicefoundation.ie/healthcare-programmes

Irish Cancer Society Night Nurses for malignant conditions The Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nursing Service is available for people with palliative care needs and their loved one and provides nursing care, practical support and reassurance. The aim is to keep the patient comfortable and free of pain. Night nurses are free of charge for up to 10 nights.

Website: http://www.cancer.ie/
Feature: Helpline 

Donegal Hospice, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
Donegal Hospice is to be found in a modern purpose-built building situated in restful grounds at Knocknamona in Letterkenny. Here, a multi disciplinary team of professionals support the medical and nursing staff in providing palliative care to the residents of its six bedrooms and two apartments. The needs of residents’ families are also catered for at this local hospice

Website: http://www.donegalhospice.ie/

Galway Hospice 
The Galway Hospice provides a comprehensive range of Palliative Care services to patients with active and progressive diseases which cannot be cured

Website: http://www.galwayhospice.ie/

Marymount University Hospital and Hospice 
Marymount University Hospital & Hospice is a healthcare facility which provides two distinct services. The elderly care facility provides respite care, intermediate palliative care and continuing care for older people. Marymount Hospice provides care to patients with progressive illness, both cancer and non-cancer. Patients on active treatment may benefit from a short term admission for symptom control and rehabilitation. Support is offered to families facing loss or who are bereaved. Marymount is the designated Specialist Care Centre for the Cork/Kerry region.

Website: http://www.marymount.ie/

Milford Care Centre 
The overall infrastructure at Milford Care Centre in Limerick has changed dramatically since the establishment of Milford House Nursing Home by the Little Company of Mary in 1928. Despite these physical changes, as a healthcare facility, they strive to ensure that they continue to deliver the highest quality and safe care to their residents, patients and visitors. 

Website: https://www.milfordcarecentre.ie/

North West Hospice 
North West Hospice palliative care services in Sligo are for people living with life limiting illnesses. Their palliative care provides services include relief from pain and other distressing symptoms, helping people live as actively as possible, spiritual support, and holistic end-of-life care.

Website: http://www.northwesthospice.ie/

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services 
Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Harold’s Cross and Blackrock continues its mission by providing, with loving care, high quality, person-centred health and social care services in the Hospice and community. Their goals include respecting the unique worth of every individual, empathising with those who are in discomfort or suffering, consistently act with integrity, commitment and accountability, striving for excellence in all aspects of our work, and representing the needs of those who are unable to speak for themselves.

Website: www.olh.ie/

St Francis Hospice 
St. Francis Hospice provides specialist palliative care to patients with advanced cancer living in north Dublin city and county. Their comprehensive care offers supportive services to patients, their families and carers – without financial cost to patients. St. Francis Hospice is a voluntary organisation under the care of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

Website: http://www.sfh.ie/

St. Brigid’s Hospice, The Curragh – Kildare and West Wicklow Hospice
The specialist palliative care service for Kildare West Wicklow is based in St Brigid’s Hospice.  Patients are referred to the service for symptom management and end of life care.   Patients can access the service as inpatients in St Brigid’s Hospice, in Naas General Hospital and at home via the palliative homecare team.   Patients are admitted to St Brigid’s Hospice for symptom control, respite care and end of life care. Length of stay varies from person to person and is dependant on the patient’s needs.   Patients are prioritised for admission based on their need for specialist palliative care treatment.
St. Brigid’s Hospice, Moore Abbey, Monasterevin & Naas General Hospital
Tel: (045) 532060
Fax: (045) 532078

Irish Hospice Foundation
The Irish Hospice Foundation was set up in 1986 to fund and develop specific hospice services. Since then their work has expanded to address the needs of people dying in hospitals, at home and in other care settings. They work to provide equity in access to palliative care services for all patients with life limiting illness. They also promote discussion of a broad range of issues related to dying, death and bereavement, in order to identify what matters most to Irish people at the end of life and how best to address their concerns.

Website: http://hospicefoundation.ie/

Carers Alliance 
Care Alliance Ireland is the National Network of Voluntary Organisations supporting Family Carers. Their vision is that the role of Family Carers is fully recognised and valued by society in Ireland. They exist to enhance the quality of life for Family Carers and achieve this by supporting organisations in their provision of information, developing research and policy, sharing resources, and instigating opportunities for collaboration.

Website: http://www.carealliance.ie/

Family Carers Ireland is the national charity dedicated to supporting the 500,000+ family carers across the country who care for loved ones such as children or adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental ill-health or addiction.

Contact us for advice on your rights and entitlements, access information booklets for family carers as well as e-learning modules, designed to help you maintain a sustainable caring routine. Talk to our Carer Support Managers about direct help local to your area and join our FREE Emergency Care Scheme, designed to assist family carers in the event of an emergency. With membership, online coffee club support and much more, we are the charity that asks the carer how they are.

Our vision is an Ireland in which family carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered. Our mission is to highlight the contribution of family carers to Irish society and to improve the lives of family carers throughout the country. We believe that no one should have to care alone.

You can call our Freephone Careline on 1800 24 07 24 or visit our website www.familycarers.ie.

Website: https://familycarers.ie/

Helpline: FREEPHONE Careline 1800 24 07 24

The Citizen Information 
The Citizen Information Board is the statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a broad range of public and social services. Their website offers a host of information on schemes, benefits and services that people in palliative care may be able to avail of. It is best to make contact with your local Citizen Information office to see what you may be entitled to: Find your local centre

Citizens Information Phone Service
The Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS) is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board. CIPS provides a comprehensive and confidential information service to people throughout the country, mainly over the phone but also through other channels such as email.
CIPS also operates a Live Advisor instant chat service. Live Advisor is available between the hours of 9am and 5pm (Monday to Friday) and is targeted specifically toward people with hearing and speech difficulties and to others who have difficulty communicating by telephone.
CIPS number: 0761 07 4000 | Fax: 021 452 1604 | Email: information@citizensinformation.ie

They also provide a checklist of entitlements that carers maybe able to avail of: Checklist for carers

Website: www.citizensinformation.ie

Income Tax, Allowances and Exemptions
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners contains all the information you need to find out income tax relief, allowances and exemptions.  Below are some quick links to some of the tax relief, allowances and exemptions you may qualify for. However, you may be able to avail of many more so it is advised you ring your local revenue office: Find your local revenue office

• Persons with a Disability Allowances
• Employed Person Taking Care of an Incapacitated Individual
• Dependent Relative Tax Credit
• A Guide to claiming Health or Medical Expenses Relief

Website: www.revenue.ie

Government benefits and welfare allowances
There maybe a number of government benefits and welfare allowances that you qualify for. In general the Dept of Social Protection handles these schemes and decides who qualifies. Below are a few of the key schemes they currently offer, however, as with tax relief, allowances and exemptions you may qualify for other schemes so it is important you contact your local centre to see what you qualify for: Find your local centre

• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer’s Benefit
• Respite Care Grant
• Domiciliary Care Allowance

Website: www.welfare.ie 

National Clinical Programme for Palliative Care
The programme was established in 2010 as a joint initiative of the HSE Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division and the Royal College of Physicians.
The programme aims to ensure that persons with life-limiting conditions and their families can easily access a level of palliative care service that is appropriate to their needs regardless of care setting or diagnosis.

Website: National Clinical Programme for Palliative Care

Health Services Executive Services 
The HSE provides all of Ireland’s public health services, in hospitals and communities across the country. The website includes provides links to HSE services across the country and provides information on 600+ treatments and conditions. For help finding services Call our Infoline on 1850 24 1850 or 041 6850300 

Website: Health Services Executive Services

Anam Cara
Anam Cara is an organisation that supports bereaved parents, Anam Cara support groups are situated throughout Ireland and provide parents a safe, comfortable environment where they have the opportunity to connect with other bereaved parents. Anam Cara is an inclusive organisation where parents do not identify themselves by their children’s age, how they died, or if their death was recent or many years ago. What Anam Cara provides is a safe place for bereaved parents to connect with others who understand the intensity of the grief and loss. Although Anam Cara does not offer counselling, each group has a lending library and information on the other services available to parents and families in the local community.

Website: www.anamcara.ie
Forum for Parents http://anamcara.ie/parents/
Forum for Siblings http://anamcara.ie/siblings/
Forum for Volunteers http://anamcara.ie/volunteers/
More resources

Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children
Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children is a service for children and young people who have lost someone close to them like a parent or a sibling – through death.

Website: Children’s Bereavement Service

Bereaved.ie
Bereaved.ie provides advice and information for bereaved people, those supporting them and professionals working with them. It is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation

Website: www.bereaved.ie 

Bereavement Ireland
The Bereavement Counselling Service offers support and counselling in Dublin and Kildare to enable people deal with their grief. This applies not only to those directly bereaved through death, stillbirth, miscarriage, abortion etc., but also to those whose lives are affected by the losses of those near to them. The basic service consists of one-to-one counselling by appointment. Volunteers may also be available for telephone and emergency counselling sessions. 

Website: bereavementireland.com

Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN) was founded in 2012 to act as a hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families. Upon its establishment five key priority areas were outlined:

• Support professionals to deliver high quality and accessible bereavement support;
• Signpost families and carers to a directory of bereavement support services;
• Inform the general public regarding issues involved in childhood loss;
• Advocate for bereaved children, young people and those supporting them;
• Generate new ideas and approaches to improving bereavement support for children.

Website: www.childhoodbereavement.ie

Rainbows Ireland
Rainbows Ireland is a peer-support programme to assist children, youth and adults who are grieving a death, separation or other painful transition in their family. Rainbows helps by providing a safe setting in which children, youth and adults can share their feelings, emotions and struggles with others who have similar experiences. They are supported in this process by a trained facilitator.

Web: www.rainbowsireland.com

Tusla
The Child and Family Agency provides grants to family support and counselling services in different locations in Ireland.  Some of these are listed here on a county by county basis (link to listing of Tusla funded counselling organisations)

Website: http://www.tusla.ie/services/family-community-support/counselling/

The Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) was established in 1981, to identify, develop and maintain professional standards of excellence in counselling and psychotherapy.  The website contains a directory of therapists

Website: http://www.iacp.ie/

The Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy 
IAHIP is the professional body in Ireland for humanistic and integrative psychotherapy.
Humanistic and integrative psychotherapy has its roots in humanistic philosophy, which emphasises human dignity and the human capacity for fulfilment.  It aims to work with a full range of influences to encourage the development of the individual and her/his relationship to others and to society. The website contains a directory of therapists

Website: http://iahip.org/

The Phychologists Society of Ireland
This Online Register is voluntary and therefore not all psychologists who are registered members of the PSI will appear on this ‘find a psychologist’. There are Registered Psychologists who do not wish their details to be disclosed publicly. If you would like to confirm the registration status of a member, please send your query to info@psihq.ie.

Website: http://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/find-a-psychologist/

Turning Point
Turning Point is a leading Counselling/Psychotherapy Centre in Ireland, concerned with facilitating individuals in coping with life’s challenges and achieving optimum levels of psychological health, wellbeing and overall functioning. Individuals, organisations and society as a whole, will benefit from Turning Point’s pioneering efforts and holistic (bio-psychosocial) approach to the application of psychology, for maximizing overall levels of health and wellbeing.

Website: http://www.turningpoint.ie/counselling-psychotherapy/

IHF also runs Ireland’s only national Bereavement Support Line. It’s a freephone service, 1800 80 70 77 and is available Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm. It’s for anyone experiencing grief and loss; a COVID-19 related death or a death from other causes or maybe a previous loss is feeling more difficult during the current restrictions.  In addition the IHF’s COVID-19 Care & Inform Hub aims to keep people informed and supported if they are facing dying, death or bereavement during the pandemic (Link)