An advocate is somebody who can provide information, advice or support to, or act on behalf of, a Service User or the Service User’s family when dealing with a healthcare service or making a complaint. An advocate may also, depending on the service, represent the views of those seeking information or making complaints when required.
If you wish to provide feedback and would like to avail of advocacy services, please find listed below
some of the advocacy services available. Please note that this is not an exhaustive listing.
The Patient Advocacy Service is a free and confidential service, independent of the HSE, that provides information and support to people who want to make a complaint about an experience they have had in a HSE public acute hospital or a HSE operated nursing home through the HSE’s Your Service Your Say process or through the HSE’s Incident Management Framework, where a person has been involved in a patient safety incident.
The HSE has developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Patient Advocacy Service that sets out their commitment to ensure that people receive a timely, compassionate and comprehensive response to their complaints. The MoU recognises that every person has the right to make a complaint about the service they have received from HSE public Acute hospitals, while the HSE also recognises the important role that independent patient advocacy can play in the HSE’s complaints processes, ‘Your Service Your Say’ and the Incident Management Framework.
Website: www.patientadvocacyservice.ie
Phone: 0818 293 003
Email: info@patientadvocacyservice.ie
Address: Level 3 Marshalsea Court, 22/23 Merchants Quay, Dublin D08 N8V
Cairde
Community development organisation, working to tackle inequalities among ethnic minority communities by improving ethnic minority access to health services, and ethnic minority participation in health planning and delivery.
Website: https://cairde.ie/
Phone: 01 855 2111
Email: info@cairde.ie
Address: 19 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1
Citizens Information
A statutory body that supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a broad range of public and social services. It provides the Citizens Information website, citizensinformation.ie, and supports the network of Citizens Information Centres and the Citizens Information Phone Service 0818 07 4000 to provide free, confidential, independent and impartial information to all.
Website: https://www.citizensinformation.ie
Phone: 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm)
Email: You can send feedback about citizensinformation.ie to ciofeedback@ciboard.ie
If you have a query, you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service or your local Citizens Information Centre directly. (Please also note that email is not generally considered to be a secure form of communication.)
Address: Citizens Information Board, Georges Quay House, 43 Townsend St., Dublin 2, D02 VK65
Cork Advocacy Service (CAS)
Cork Advocacy Service for Social Health & Education Projects. A Community-based Well-being and Development Project
Website: https://www.socialandhealth.com/cork-advocacy-service/
Phone: Cork - (021) 466 6180 / Limerick - (085) 862 6844
Address: The Social and Health Education Project (SHEP), Village Chambers, The Village Centre, Station Road, Ballincollig, Co.Cork.
Croí
At Croí, our aim is to lead the fight against heart disease and stroke, with a particular focus on the West of Ireland. Our mission is to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery & wellbeing.
Website: https://croi.ie/
Phone: 091-544310
Email: info@croi.ie for general enquiries
Email: healthteam@croi.ie for health-related questions
Address: Croí House, Moyola Lane, Newcastle, Galway, H91 FF68
Dental Complaints Resolution Service
Any patient wishing to make a complaint should, in the first instance, raise the issue with the nominated person in the dental practice. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you may wish to contact the Dental Complaints Resolution Service. (https://dentalcomplaints.ie/for-patients/)
The Dental Complaints Resolution Service aims to assist dental patients and participating dentists resolve complaints about dental services. The service is an independent dental complaints service provided by the Irish Dental Association.
Website: https://dentalcomplaints.ie/for-patients/
Email: Mary Culliton at mary@dentalcomplaints.ie
Phone: Mary on 087 354 5842
Address: Irish Dental Association, Unit 2, Leopardstown Office Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18, Ireland
Diabetes Ireland
(Diabetes Federation of Ireland) Charity Reg: CHY 6906
Diabetes Ireland is dedicated to helping people with diabetes.
Website: https://www.diabetes.ie/
Phone: +353 1 842 8118
Email: info@diabetes.ie
Address: 19 Northwood House, Northwood Business Campus, Santry, Dublin 9, D09DH30
Dignity4Patients
Dignity4Patients is a patient support and advocacy organisation who work with people who have suffered sexual abuse or inappropriate sexual behaviour whilst a patient in a medical or therapeutic setting.
Website: https://www.dignity4patients.org/
Phone: 041 – 9843730
Text: 086 - 1654111 (Monday - Wednesday 10am - 4pm)
Email: support@dignity4patients.org
Helpline Contact Numbers: 041-9843730 / 086-1654111
National rape crisis helpline: 1800 778 888. (24-hour Service). You can also talk in confidence with a trained counsellor at Connect on 1800 477 477. (Wednesday–Sunday 6pm-10pm).
EPIC – Empowering Young People in Care
EPIC aims to advance the interests and welfare of children and young adults in the care system by advocating on their behalf, providing information and advice, providing opportunities for participation and influencing through regional and national councils and developing policies on and conducting research into issues affecting children and young adults in the care system.
Website: https://www.epiconline.ie/
Phone: 01 8727661
Address: EPIC Dublin: 7 Red Cow Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 KX52 / Phone: 01 8727661
EPIC Cork: Millerd Hall, Millerd Street, Cork, T12 W8CW / Phone: 021 242 8434
EPIC Galway: Westside Resource Centre, Seamus Quirke Road, Galway, H91 C1KX / Phone: 091 395 605
EPIC Limerick: Northside Youth Space, Ballynanty Road, Ballynanty Beg, Limerick, V94 TPP3 / Phone: 061 514518
Inclusion Ireland
Inclusion Ireland is a national organisation advocating for the rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families.
Website: https://inclusionireland.ie
Phone: 01 855 9891
Email: info@inclusionireland.ie
Address: Unit C2, The Steelworks, Foley St, Dublin 1
International Human Rights and Equality Commission
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is Ireland’s national human rights and equality institution. The IHREC is an independent public body that promotes and protects human rights and equality in Ireland.
Website: https://www.ihrec.ie/
Phone: +353 1 8589601
Email: info@ihrec.ie
Address: IHREC, 16 – 22 Green Street, Dublin 7, D07 CR20
Irish Advocacy Network
The Irish Advocacy Network is a peer advocacy service for people with mental health challenges.
Website: https://www.peeradvocacyinmentalhealth.com/
Phone: 01 547 0510 (Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm)
Email: admin@irishadvocacynetwork.com
Address: Irish Advocacy Network Ltd, 1st Floor, The Tannery Building, 53 – 56 Cork Street,
Dublin 8, D08 X31R.
Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Cancer Society operates Daffodil Centres, providing cancer information, support and advice, in 13 locations nationwide. (https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-support/find-support/daffodil-centres)
Website: https://www.cancer.ie/
Cancer Support Line: 1800 200 700Email: supportline@irishcancer.ie
Address: Irish Cancer Society, 43/45 Northumberland Road, Dublin, D04 VX65
Irish Heart Foundation
The Irish Heart Foundation is working to effect positive change in the lifestyles of Irish people, to achieve better outcomes for those affected by heart disease and stroke and to challenge when the health of the nation is put at risk.
Website: https://irishheart.ie/
Phone: 021 4505822
Email: info@irishheart.ie
Address: Irish Heart Foundation, 17-19 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6, D06C780
Irish Patients’ Association
Providing independent patient advocacy since 1995. The Irish Patients’ Association’s mission is to keep the patient at the centre of the healthcare system. It does this by advocating for the needs of patients to be paramount while working in partnership with health providers.
Website: https://www.irishpatients.ie/
Email: info@irishpatients.ie
Mental Health Ireland
Mental Health Ireland plays a central role in reshaping how the public understand mental health issues and promoting positive mental health, supporting people with lived experience of mental health challenges in their recovery and bringing practical expression to national policy objectives.
Website: https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/
Phone: 01 284 1166
Email: info@mentalhealthireland.ie
Address: Second Floor Marina House, 11-13 Clarence Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, A96 E289
National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities
The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities provides an independent, confidential and free, representative advocacy service for the person using the service. The service is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board.
Website: https://advocacy.ie/
Phone: 0818 07 3000
Email: info@advocacy.ie
Address: Level 3 Marshalsea Court, 22/23 Merchants Quay, Dublin D08 N8VC
Pavee Point
Non-governmental organisation for the promotion and realisation of Travellers Human Rights.
Website: https://www.paveepoint.ie/
Phone: 01 878 0255
Email: info@pavee.ie
Address: 46 North Great Charles St., Dublin 1, D01XC63
SAGE Advocacy
Sage Advocacy is a support and advocacy service for vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients.
Website: https://www.sageadvocacy.ie/
Phone: 01 5367330
Email: info@sageadvocacy.ie
Address: 24/26 Ormond Quay Upper, Dublin, DO7 DAV9
Third Age Ireland
Third Age champion older people in an interconnecting range of initiatives, including the challenge of negative perceptions, and the representation of older people at policy-making fora.
Third Age offers choices and provides opportunities for lifelong learning, volunteering, community development, and social inclusion.
Seniorline is a confidential listening service for older people provided by trained older volunteers that is open 365 days a year, from 10am to 10pm. As well as responding to individual callers, Seniorline advocates nationally for older people in Ireland, representing their needs, concerns and wishes to media, the general public, politicians and key stakeholders.
Website: https://www.thirdageireland.ie/
Email: nationaloffice@thirdageireland.ie
Phone: (046) 9557766
Seniorline Freephone: 1800 80 45 91
Address: Third Age, Summerhill, Co. Meath, Ireland, A83 PW94
Together-Razem
Polish community services centre for drug and alcohol issues and advice in relation to mental health and counselling. Together-Razem provides counselling & psychotherapy, English courses, advice and information services, legal advice and promotes education in Polish Schools.
Website: https://together-razem.org/en/
Phone: 021 439 55 88
Email: info@together-razem.org
Address: Together-Razem Centre, Unit 2A, Kilnap Business Park, Old Mallow Rd, Cork.
