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Healthcare
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What does this mean?
Some families get medical cards and their visits to the doctor and the hospital are free.
It’s your right to have the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment and information to help you stay well.
If you have a disability, you may be able to get help or financial supports from the Government to help you access different services.
EXAMPLE: As a child, you get free vaccinations to help prevent you from getting sick.
Learn more about this right
Do I have this right in Ireland?
- UNCRC, article 24 – it’s your right to have the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment and information to help you stay well.
- Under the Health Act 1970, it’s your right to get certain aspects of health care for free as a child, such as free GP visits until you are 6 years old.
- Under the Health Act 1970, it’s the right of all people who live in Ireland to have access to health services. Some people have the right to a medical card if their income is below a certain figure. If you have a medical card, this means you don’t pay for GP or hospital visits.
- Under the Mental Health Act 2001, it’s your right to receive good quality mental health care; to be informed about your treatment, to have your best interests taken into account and to be treated with respect and dignity.
Doing a project?
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines ‘health’ as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, health is about more that the absence of illness and disease.
- The Health Service Executive (HSE) is the agency responsible for delivering health and personal care social services in Ireland.
- In 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said Ireland should improve mental health services for children.
- Self-harm has increased by 21% among 10-24 year olds from 2007-2017.
- One in four children living in Ireland is obese or overweight.
- By November 2018, 93% of children under the age of 6 are registered for free GP care.
- According to the National Patient Treatment Register, there were 8,468 children on waiting lists for either day care or inpatient care in March 2019.
- Where you live, if you’re a migrant or if you’re LGBTI, these factors can make it harder to get good healthcare for young people in Ireland.
Links to other organisations
- Children in Hospital Ireland – Find out more about what hospital can be like from Children in Hospital Ireland
- Stepping up– Stepping Up provides information for young people with long-term illnesses on moving to adult healthcare services
- Jigsaw – Jigsaw works in the area of young people’s mental health. Find out more about Jigsaw’s activities and services.
- Barnardos– Information for young people on taking care of your well-being is available from Barnardos
- Safe Food– Take a look at the food pyramid and find out more about healthy eating from Safe Food.
- Active School Flag – Find out more about the Active School Flag project
- Join the Dots
- Take My Hand
