asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a debt collection agency (details supplied) who are publishers of Stubbs Gazette have been engaged by the Midland Health Board to collect outstanding hospital services accounts; that they threaten to seek court judgements and that they publish details in Stubbs Gazette; and if he will ask the health board to cease this unacceptable practice.
Written Answers. - Outstanding Hospital Services Accounts.
32.
Charges levied by health boards and other institutions under Hospital (In-Patient Charges) Regulations or the Hospital (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations are statutorily based and have been approved by this House.
As the Deputy is aware, the charges apply in specified circumstances, have an upper limit in relation to the level of charge and are not levied where persons genuinely are unable to afford the charges. Outside of these situations a health board or hospital is obliged to levy the charge on persons who receive in-patient or out-patient services.
The Deputy will appreciate that where persons who receive services in such circumstances and refuse to pay, a health board or hospital is required in the public interest to make reasonable efforts to ensure that those in default of payment are pursued. It is a matter for each health board and voluntary hospital to adopt and implement a policy of appropriate action where they consider it necessary and having regard to the circumstances of individual cases of default of payment. A situation where defaulters are not followed up is unfair on those persons who have paid, will serve to encourage others to default and bring into disrepute the statutory authority of the regulations. I should also remind the Deputy that income generated from hospital in-patient and out-patient charges is used to maintain and develop existing services and to ensure an adequate standard of care. Outstanding income from these sources will have an adverse effect on the provision of local services which is in all our interest to maintain and develop.