Dr Austin O Carroll is a GP in Inner City Dublin. He has a deep interest in Health Inequalities.

He was presented with the Time and Tide and Fiona Bradley awards for his work with marginalised groups. He started eight specialised primary care services for homeless people and founded Safetynet, the umbrella organisation for primary care services for homeless people which is provided in 9 hostels and food halls/drop ins Dublin, 1 in Galway, 2 in Limerick and 2 in Cork. He founded a mobile outreach clinic for rough sleepers with Safetynet; Dublin Simon; Chrysalis; the Order of Malta and the 4 Dublin GP training schemes.

Safetynet also provides services to the Roma community; methadone services to homeless people; doctor care to the Simon HIV Stabilization Unit; and facilitates needle exchange with governance for 5 needle exchanges with Austin as Medical Director. Safetynet is working with the HSE towards producing an Intermediate Care Centre, GP practices in areas of deprivation and a Primary Care Team for Homeless People.

He founded the North Dublin City GP Training programme which specifically trains GP’s to work in areas of deprivation and with marginalised groups. As part of their fourth year all trainees work a day a week in homeless/prison/migrant/ and drug health services. He co-founded the Partnership for Health Equity between the HSE Social Inclusion, NDCGP and University of Limerick. He has been involved in many research projects dealing with access to health care. He has done a Prof Doctorate in ethnographic research into homelessness. He was a founding member of D-Doc. He sails on the Irish Paralympic Sailing Team.