About Safetynet Primary Care

Safetynet is a values-driven organisation committed to ensuring the most underserved communities in our society have access to healthcare. We are passionate about inclusion, health, and the benefits this can bring for people’s lives.


Our Vision

Safetynet’s mission is to deliver high-quality healthcare services to those who are socially excluded and unable to access care, promoting their well-being and advocating for an inclusive healthcare system.

Our Mission

A society where everyone has equal access to healthcare and a fair opportunity to reach their full health potential, regardless of means, circumstances, race or creed.

Welcome Message from Our CEO

A woman with short brown hair, fair skin, wearing a black shirt, smiling slightly, against a plain light background.

“At Safetynet, we believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality healthcare - regardless of their circumstances.”

  • We meet people where they need us, providing care through mobile units, open-access clinics, and innovative outreach programmes that remove the barriers others cannot.

    Our work is guided by five core values: quality, inclusivity, innovation, transparency and respect. These principles shape every patient interaction, every partnership we form, and every advocacy position we take. They're reflected in our outcomes - from thousands of annual GP consultations to health screening rates that often exceed national averages amongst populations typically underserved by mainstream healthcare.

    As we implement our Strategic Plan 2025-2028, we're building on this foundation - expanding services, strengthening research partnerships, and using our unique insights to advocate for systemic change. Our medical record network connects 23 organisations nationally, demonstrating what's possible when healthcare providers work collaboratively to serve marginalised populations.

    We believe that transparency and communication are key to meaningful collaboration — and we look forward to building new connections and strengthening existing ones as we continue to deliver on our mission.

Best wishes,
Nicola Perry, Chief Executive Officer | Safetynet Primary Care

Our Values

  • A logo featuring two interconnected L-shaped elements, one in pink and the other in blue, on a black background.

    Quality

    Everyone who accesses our services should expect to be given the highest possible care we can give.

  • A black background with a stylized game controller icon composed of four interconnected rounded rectangles in purple and blue, forming a symmetrical cross.

    Transparency

    All our employees, partners, sponsors and service users should always expect us to be honest and open with them.

  • A logo featuring two intertwined rounded squares, one pink and one blue, on a black background.

    Inclusivity

    We ensure that we serve all those that are considered hard to reach, without judgement or blame for their health condition.

  • A logo with two stylized checkmarks, one blue and one pink, intertwined on a black background.

    Respect for others

    We respect the choices of our patients and go further to assist them in achieving health and happiness.

  • Colorful logo with two arrows pointing to the right, one blue and one pink, on a black background.

    Innovation

    We value innovation in service design, encourage staff to research and try new approaches, and create a culture of trust that nurtures creativity and experimentation, understanding that failure is part of success.

Our Story

Safetynet’s journey began as Safetynet Ireland, a network comprising healthcare professionals and organisations dedicated to improving healthcare services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Ireland. The initiative was spearheaded by Dr Austin O’Carroll, who identified the urgent need for better coordination of healthcare for this vulnerable group.


A geometric design featuring four L-shaped elements in purple and blue, arranged symmetrically against a black background.

In 2009, the network was officially incorporated as the Safetynet Healthcare Network. Continuing its mission as a coordinating body, Safetynet worked to unite health professionals and organisations supporting the homeless population. This collaborative approach aimed to overcome the fragmentation of healthcare services and improve outcomes through shared expertise and resources.

A pivotal early development was the creation of a Mobile Health Unit, designed to reach individuals experiencing homelessness who could not access mainstream healthcare services. The unit, operating from a specially adapted vehicle equipped with a consultation room, was staffed by volunteer GP registrars and worked in close coordination with existing outreach services.

Another significant advancement during this period was the implementation of Helix, a shared electronic patient record system funded by the HSE. Helix (which was later upgraded to Socrates) made it possible to maintain continuity of care across different services, enabling healthcare professionals to deliver more consistent and coordinated care for individuals frequently moving between providers.


Becoming Safetynet Primary Care

As Safetynet evolved, it became clear that gaps in service provision persisted. This realisation prompted a strategic shift from mainly coordinating healthcare to also delivering direct clinical services. In 2015, the organisation was renamed Safetynet Primary Care and registered as a charity. While maintaining its roots as a network, Safetynet responded to emerging needs by directly providing clinically governed primary healthcare services to those most in need.

With this new direction, Dr O’Carroll passed the leadership baton to Fiona O’Reilly in 2016, who became the organisation’s first CEO. Under her guidance, Safetynet Primary Care became Ireland's only medical charity focused on delivering primary care to marginalised groups. One of Fiona’s first major initiatives was a comprehensive review and enhancement of the original Mobile Health Unit, which led to the development of the Inreach programme.


Growth and expansion

In the years that followed, Safetynet Primary Care experienced significant growth, expanding its team to include more GPs, nurses, and support staff. The organisation introduced new services designed to address the complex and evolving healthcare needs of marginalised communities.

With the support of the HSE, Safetynet secured its first dedicated premises: a former health centre in Summerhill, Dublin. This location became home to Ireland’s first Inclusion Health Hub.


Public Health and COVID-19 Response

Safetynet played a crucial frontline role during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the endorsement of NEPHET, the HSE commissioned Safetynet to design and deliver new crisis response services tailored to the pandemic’s unique challenges. These included the innovative Covid Cluster Rapid Response Unit and the Covid Assessment Hub at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH), both targeting vulnerable populations.

The organisation’s original network, now known as the Safetynet Medical Record Network, remains a core component of Safetynet Primary Care. It serves as a prominent model for shared medical records among participating healthcare providers across Ireland.

In 2022, Safetynet launched its first three-year Strategic Plan, signalling a new phase of strategic growth. The plan set out goals to provide quality healthcare for marginalised groups, drive innovation and advocacy in health policy, and strengthen organisational capacity, all aimed at promoting inclusivity and closing gaps in Ireland’s healthcare system.

After nearly a decade of impactful leadership, Fiona O’Reilly stepped down as CEO in 2024 and was succeeded by Nicola Perry, who now leads the organisation into the next chapter.


Safetynet Primary Care today

Today, Safetynet Primary Care—often simply referred to as Safetynet—operates from its own premises on Amiens Street, Dublin 1, with ongoing support from the HSE. The organisation offers GP and nursing clinics and provides TB screening on a national scale. In addition, Safetynet delivers a growing range of wraparound supports, including a newly established counselling service.

Recently, Nicola Perry launched the Strategic Plan for 2025–2028, which outlines its commitment to delivering high-quality, inclusive healthcare to marginalised populations by overcoming access barriers, supporting patient advocacy, and fostering innovation.  Safetynet aims to ensure sustainability, continuous improvement, and a patient-centred approach while influencing broader healthcare policy for a more equitable system.


Partners & Funders

Partner Testimonials

  • Merchants Quay Ireland

    “Safetynet is a vital and trusted partner for MQI and the people we serve. From our gender-specific women’s service in Jane’s Place to the new Medically Supervised Injection Facility and primary healthcare unit in Riverbank House, they provide compassionate, professional healthcare to clients who struggle to access mainstream services.”

    — Geoff Corcoran, Head of Operations and Delivery, Merchants Quay Ireland

  • Dublin Simon Community

    “Working with Safetynet is always a pleasure. Their flexibility and responsiveness to evolving service needs have a meaningful impact, not only on the lives of the individuals we support, but on the strength of our partnership. There is a genuine sense of collaboration, and we consistently feel that any challenge can be met with a solution.”

    — Naomi Nicholson, Director of Clinical and Therapeutic Services, Dublin Simon Community

  • Capuchin Day Centre

    “The Capuchin Day Centre highly values its long-established partnership with Safetynet. Working together in the Capuchin Clinic, we provide professional, compassionate and inclusive care to our many guests, ensuring people who are often marginalised can access the healthcare they need.”

    — Brian Friel, Chief Executive Officer, Capuchin Day Centre

  • Dublin Simon “Step Up Step Down”

    “We have an excellent working relationship with Safetynet. The doctors are dedicated, purpose-driven professionals who understand the needs of the clients we support. There is strong mutual respect, and I find working with the Safetynet team both positive and productive, with clear benefits for clients and staff alike.”

    — Namwenje Phiri, Clinical Nurse Manager, Step Up Step Down, Dublin Simon Community

  • Crosscare

    “We are proud of our longstanding link with Safetynet, whose accessible, high-quality primary healthcare is an invaluable support to the clients Crosscare serve. We have seen first-hand their professionalism, care and commitment to health equity for some of the most vulnerable in our community. Safetynet ensures those we support are seen, heard and given timely access to care they would otherwise struggle to receive.”

    — Ciara McGrath, Project Manager, Crosscare Housing & Welfare

Services we provide