Multi-lingual mental health service sees clients from 36 countries since opening last year

The SafetyNet Primary Care programme, run with the Irish Red Cross, has worked with 134 clients so far since opening in May last year. File photo: PA/thinkstockphotos

A new service offering multi-lingual mental health help has seen clients from 36 countries in just over a year, SafetyNet Primary Care has said.

The programme, run with the Irish Red Cross, has worked with 134 clients so far since opening in May last year. It provides Arabic-speaking psychotherapists and also online translation in any language.

Mental health co-ordinator Liban Abanur said: “We're seeing patients who would never have accessed mainstream mental health services now engaging regularly with support.” 

He added: "When someone from your own community, who understands your journey and speaks your language, is part of your care team, it changes everything."

CEO Nicola Perry said this type of service could be used to improve access to all kinds of health.

“We have proof that when we truly meet people where they are – culturally, linguistically, and psychologically – we transform not just individual outcomes but strengthen our entire healthcare system,” she said.

She also said that across all their clinics and services they are “showing that so-called ‘hard-to-reach’ populations are not truly hard to reach with the right approach”. 

The Safetynet’s Strategic Plan 2025–2028, published on Tuesday, shows overall it provided 7,400 GP consultations across all of its health services. It screened over 1,300 international protection applicants at 28 accommodation centres around the country.

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It also runs a Mobile Health and Screening Unit which travels around to these centres. It has GPs, nurses and other health workers as well as an X-ray machine and other medical equipment.

Much of its other work is concentrated around Dublin. For example, it offers an epilepsy outreach service which connects patients who might not be able to travel to St James’ Hospital with care.

It offers GP and nurse clinics at centres including Merchants Quay Ireland, Mendicity and Jane’s Place which are open to anyone in need to attend.

The Capuchin Clinic offers GP care for anyone along with an interpreter service if needed. It is one of the few medical clinics working with homeless people which also takes children as patients.