Health Services Planning for the visit of his holiness, Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families

This weekend Pope Francis will arrive in Dublin for the World Meeting of Families on the 25th and 26th of August 2018. Full details of the visit are available on Pope in Ireland page.

A health operations plan for the provision of medical services at all locations of the visit during the weekend is in place. This plan will ensure that adequate medical services are available to the attendees at Knock and the Phoenix Park, that there is minimum disruption to normal health and social care related services during this visit, and that all hospitals will be operating as normal.

These provisions include:

• more than 1,000 medical providers from around the country on duty
• an onsite medical assessment centre catering for patron’s needs at the Phoenix Park
• over 26 Aid posts in place along pedestrian routes and within the Park
• 6 rapid response vehicles crewed by Advanced Paramedics
• minor Injury Units equipped to treat a wide range of minor injuries: for more information see hse.ie/injuryunits
• the GP Out of Hours service available outside the routine GP surgery times

The Department of Health and the HSE ask everyone to think about their care and treatment options so we can keep our Emergency Department services for the patients who need them most.

For more detailed information please visit the following:

• The Health Service Executive: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/media/pressrel/hse-advice-if-you-are-visiting-dublin-or-knock%C2%A0-for-the-visit-of-pope-francis.html
• Central Portal for Online Government Services: gov.ie/popeinireland
• An Garda Síochana: garda.ie
• Transport for Ireland: transportforireland.ie

World Meeting of Families: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2018/outside/documents/papa-francesco-irlanda_2018.html

ENDS