asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that many families are facing hardship because of their inability to obtain medical cards for their mentally handicapped children and if he will consider granting medical cards to mentally handicapped people of all ages in their own right.
Written Answers. - Medical Cards for Handicapped.
421.
Most mentally handicapped adults already have medical cards. Mentally handicapped children are entitled to free hospital in-patient and out-patient services and free drugs and medicines under the long-term illness scheme. In many instances the parents are receiving the constant care allowance. However, it has been said that in some cases parents do experience hardship in relation to general practitioner services for these children. I am asking chief executive officers of health boards to ensure that sympathetic consideration is given to any such cases.