Co. Meath Hospital Service
What’s involved?
Co Meath Hospital Service is a Public service for health-related appointments in Dublin Public Hospitals.
We have now increased our bus capacity due to high demand.
How does it work?
- This service runs Monday to Friday with the following pick-up points:
| Trim Lidl | 7am to 8am |
| Athboy Church Car Park | Book Seat |
| Kells Bus Stop | Book Seat |
| Navan Hospital | Book Seat |
| Ross Cross | Book Seat |
| Dunshaughlin | Book Seat |
| Ratoath | Book Seat |
| Ashbourne | Book Seat |
| Dublin Hospitals | Approx 9:30am |
*Wheelchair users will be picked up at their homes.
- This service must be booked in advance.
- This service is not a door-to-door service, and intending passengers are asked to meet the bus at the pick-up points.
- This route and times are subject to change depending on the number and locations of bookings, but the core arrival time of 9.30 am and the latest departure of 1.30 pm will remain. Please make the clinic you are attending aware of this.
- This bus is suitable for anyone who has a hospital appointment in a public hospital in Dublin between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm, where the appointment will be completed by 1.30 pm.
Book with us at 1800303707 or 0469074830; you will be given your pickup location and time before your appointment day.
- You may bring one person with you for the appointment, but please let us know when you book.
- The cost of the service is €10-€20.
Community Car Service
What’s involved?
Community Car scheme is an initiative aimed at involving volunteers in their local communities, helping community members, through the provision of supported transport. The Volunteer Driver will provide, using their own car, essential door to door transport for passengers identified, who have difficulties accessing public or other forms of transport.
WHATS INCLUDED?
- Services such as hospital visits in Meath, Louth and Dublin
- Access to transport for health services that would otherwise not be possible.
- Providing a lifeline to people for things like pension, shopping and banking.
If you need transport* please contact the TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal at 046 9074830 or 1800303707
*Subject to availability due to limited number of volunteers available*
WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTEER?
Now looking for Volunteers!
We are also always looking for new volunteers to continue providing and extending the service.
If you or anyone you know would like to join our volunteering team, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Call us on: 046-9074830 or 1800 303 707
How it works as a volunteer ?
You state a regular time when you are available to be on call for volunteer driving. You are then placed on a panel of drivers available for call out as needed. In the majority of cases, you will receive several days notice to see if you are available for a specific journey. You do not have to be available all the time! You will contacted only for driving during the hours you stated you are available and even then if you cannot take that journey, that is no problem. Full training will be provided for this role at a time and date convenient where possible to volunteers.
What’s Required?
Essential Criteria:
- Full Clean Driving licence
- Access to a roadworthy car
- Current tax, insurance, NCT etc
- Form of consent and indemnity from insurance company. You should not be charged for this. If an Insurance company states there is a fee, please contact us and we will help you.
Other Desirable Criteria:
- Knowledge of Louth, Meath, Fingal geographical area
- Ability to deal with older people, people with disabilities and a wide range of people requiring transport in the community
- Basic computer skills are desirable, but not essential.
On completion of the course all volunteers will be up to date, fully certified and qualified to drive at the required high standard that the Rural Transport Programme demands. Drivers will be more confident out on the road both in their role as a driver, a community car driver and duties to the people they will transport. As part of the training, drivers will also be taking part in an individual basis for a drive-out in their vehicle and Garda Vetting will be carried out.
Other Providers
Vantastic is a Non Profit Irish Charity that offers flexible and accessible transport services to people with disabilities, citizens (65+) with mobility impairments and not for profit groups
Aim to work with existing and new transport providers and relevant agencies to develop a transport network for all Vantastic Members
Main Goal
- To provide flexible transport services for people with permanent or temporary mobility difficulties, physical & sensory disabilities
- Non profit organisations that will incorporate users, service providers and key relevant agencies and link in with national policy aimed at providing fully accessible transport services for all.
The Irish Cancer Society offers two support services:
Volunteer Driver Service: a transport service for patients (Funded by the Irish Cancer Society)
Travel2Care: a funding scheme for transportation costs
For more information on these services call Transport Service team at: (01) 231 0522
Or Email at: travel@irishcancer.ie
Volunteer Driver Service
For this scheme, a passenger needs to be referred to the service by the hospital – it is worth looking into for all passengers.
Participating hospitals:
– Vincent’s University Hospital
– James’ Hospital
– Connolly Hospital
– Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
– Mater University Hospital
– Naas Hospital
– Tallaght University Hospital
– Cavan General Hospital
For full details: https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-support/getting-organised/organising-travel/transport-service
Travel2Care
Financial support available for people attending certain hospitals. Full details here: https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-support/getting-organised/organising-travel/travel2care
Terms and conditions:
You can apply for Travel2Care if you:
– Live permanently in Ireland
– Have a genuine financial need
– Have to travel over 50km to a designated cancer centre, approved centres or approved children’s hospital
– Are travelling for assessment, diagnosis, surgery or active treatment at a designated cancer centre
– Do not qualify for other schemes, such as transport funded by the HSE or voluntary transport initiatives