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HSE Dublin and South East Media Release

24 September, 2025

The HSE’s Primary Care/Social Inclusion services in Waterford were delighted to host the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’ Connor T.D. on a visit to their offices at St. Otteran’s Hospital.

An overview was provided for the Minister on the services available in such spheres as Addiction (including HSE community agencies supported by the HSE under Section 39 of the Health Act), Homeless services, Traveller Health, Migrant Health, Family Support and work with the Roma community.

Having been welcomed by Lisa Robson (General Manager/Social Inclusion) of the Primary Care Services for the Waterford/Wexford and Carlow-Kilkenny/Tipperary South Integrated Healthcare Areas of the HSE’s Dublin and South East region, Minister Murnane O’ Connor heard from various team members as to the supports it provides locally.

In partnership with other agencies the HSE’s Primary Care/Social Inclusion service supports the development and implementation of initiatives that enhance health care delivery to improve access and ensure equitable health outcomes for vulnerable groups. This is towards ensuring that health outcomes for socially excluded groups in society are improved.

In terms of working for equitable health outcomes for vulnerable groups, the HSE’s Social Inclusion services are working with Refugees, Asylum Seekers who are now recognised as People Seeking International Protection, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, Roma, Travellers and LGBT+ people and their families, those with Addictions and those who experience or who are at risk of Homelessness.

HSE Social inclusion works in partnership with the community and voluntary sectors and across a range of statutory services, to improve access to health services for disadvantaged groups. This includes provision of targeted interventions for people from marginalised groups who experience health inequalities, have difficulties accessing services and present with multiple, complex health and support needs (including health supports for people who are homeless and in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence).

The HSE’s Substance Misuse services comprise of range of free and confidential services in Waterford City and County. This service is for anyone affected by problematic drugs or alcohol misuse and can be accessed by individuals regardless of what stage they are at, across the spectrum of addiction. The Substance Misuse recovery team in Waterford comprises of: GPs, an Assistant Director of Nursing, Substance Misuse Liaison Nurses, a Drug and an Alcohol Liaison Midwife, a Senior Counsellor, Addiction Counsellors, Community based Drug and Alcohol workers, Outreach Workers, Drugs Education Officer, local Substance Misuse Co-ordinators and a Clinical Lead. The team also work with the HSE’s Primary Care services, GPs and community pharmacies in providing a patient centred approach.

Last updated on: 24 / 09 / 2025

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The Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’ Connor T.D. was in Waterford to visit the HSE’s Health and Wellbeing Hub, located in the former St. Martin’s School, Kilcohan.

It was an opportunity for the Minister to meet and greet community delivery partners and health and wellbeing teams who provide integrated service delivery, supporting the vision of the Sláintecare strategy.

Among the groups with whom Minister Murnane O’ Connor chatted during her visit were:

• The Waterford Sláintecare Healthy Communities programme, including representatives of the HSE, Waterford City and County Council and community partners.
• The HSE’s Health Promotion and Improvement Team and workers in the Healthy Childhood Programme (Breastfeeding Initiatives in Waterford).
• The Waterford Vaccination Centre Team (who administer the RSV, Flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines at their Centre in Kilcohan).
• The HSE’s national Healthy Living and Active Living (HEAL) team and the HSE’s National Alcohol programme team, members of each being based in the Kilcohan centre.

The Health and Wellbeing Hub in Kilcohan is a regional demonstration site for integrated prevention and early intervention and delivers practical, community-based supports aligned to Sláintecare.

Welcoming Minister Murnane O’ Connor to the Hub, Kate Cassidy (General Manager, Health and Wellbeing, HSE) said:

“We were pleased that we got to update the Minister on our current activity, which includes the Healthy Food Made Easy (HFME) initiative, our smoking cessation service (including the Quit and Stay Quit during Pregnancy programme), breastfeeding-friendly initiatives and peer support, chronic disease prevention and self-management supports and alcohol harm-reduction.”

“Through close collaboration with community partners (the local authority, Family Resource Centres, Traveller Health Project, the local Sports Partnership and SETU), the Hub reduces barriers to access, addresses local health inequalities and maximises shared facilities, workforce and data-informed planning. It also supports the ongoing transition to regional health areas such as the HSE Dublin and South East health region structure, by modelling joined-up governance, shared infrastructure and co-ordinated pathways across community and clinical services.”

“Another important feature of the HSE’s work at Kilcohan that the Minister was able to see fist-hand was the integrated vaccination service – regarding Flu, COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), school based Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV – nasal application for those aged 2-17 years) outreach to long term care facilities and those housebound.”

Last updated on: 24 / 09 / 2025