In Dublin Homeless Health Peer Advocacy (HHPA) is being delivered by Depaul Ireland, working closely with the Inclusion Health service in St. James’s and the Mater hospitals to reduce unplanned use of health services and missed appointments and to reengage and retain individuals in specialist care services.
Who can refer to HHPA Dublin
While the HHPA programme is a Depaul service, they work in collaboration with other agencies to provide fair and equal opportunities throughout the Dublin region. The HHPA Dublin service endeavours to remove conflict of interest by accepting referrals from various agencies, managing bookings fairly and following a strict complaints procedure.
How to book:
General peer support and appointments can be booked either by the participant themselves, or by a staff member. Because Peer Advocates are lone working we operate a duty system to ensure that they are safe. Our general working hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. However, alternative arrangements can be made if required.
Please call +353860787099 or email [email protected] for more information and to retrieve a booking form.
What Peer Advocates can do:
✓ Support participants to make health related appointments
✓ Accompany participants to and from health related appointments and to their appropriate service after hospital discharge
✓ Advocate on behalf of participants
✓ Give practical support in attending follow ups and hospital stays
✓ Support in-reach sessions to build a trusting relationship with service users, help them better understand their health concerns and encourage them to attend their health appointments
Peer Advocates do not:
✗ Give health advice or tell the participant what is in their best interests
✗ Discuss the participant’s situation with anyone else without their consent
✗ Work with any issues that are not health related (i.e. social welfare, housing appointments, registration etc.)
✗ Work with someone whose behaviour poses a risk to them or with people that they know personally
