AN initiative to provide a range of health care services for women in the north Dublin area was officially introduced yesterday by the President, Mrs Robinson.
The Coolock Women's Heath Initiative offers a comprehensive women's health service, including family planning. The services are provided as a partnership between the Eastern Health Board, the Well Woman Organisation and general practitioners. Well Woman operates full time clinics in the centre, while local GPs held designated women's clinics, with a female doctor or female nurse in attendance.
The Coolock centre, based in the Northside Shopping Centre, is one of two pilot projects developed by the Eastern Health Board. The second project, which has been running for some time, is in Tallaght, south Dublin.
Councillor Roisin Shortall TD, chairwoman of the Eastern Health Board, said the initiative followed a consultation process involving 8,000 women in Dublin after the publication of the Minister for Health's discussion document, Developing a Policy for Women's Health.
The chief executive of the Well Woman Centres, Ms Ann Broekhoven, said the centre was meeting a range of health care needs for women.