Noel Davern
Question:13 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary was not granted a mobility allowance; and if he will have the case examined.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit.
Payment of mobility allowance in any individual case is a matter for the health board concerned. Accordingly, the Deputy's question has been referred to the Chief Executive Officer, South-Eastern Health Board, with a request that he examine the matter and reply directly to the Deputy.
In my 21 years in this House I have never put down a question like this before. I would ask the Minister to have this case examined. I have seen the lady in question and have asked that she be medically examined. She has had arthritis since she was 21 years of age and she is now 66 years of age. Somebody tells me that she is not adequately qualified for a mobility allowance. This lady has to be carried if she wants to move more than four feet. Her case was appealed and the administrative officer made the decision. I do not think she was examined thereafter. Nobody bothered to go near her. I am asking the Minister to ensure that a different medical officer make an examination in this case.
In view of what the Deputy says about the patient in question, I will certainly raise the matter again with the South-Eastern Health Board with a request that the lady be again medically examined and I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like to ask the Minister if medical referees are qualified medical people or are they just administrative staff?
This is a very specific case and I would be concerned about going beyond it.
There is no post of medical referee as such in the health services as there is in the social welfare area. The director of community care has responsibility for assessing patients who apply for such benefits as the mobility allowance. He is medically qualified and he may designate the job to the area medical officer who is also medically qualified. They would do the assessment on the medical need of the patient whereas if the case was means tested a lay person would investigate it.
I am specifically referring to medical referees. It has come to my notice that some of these people do not have medical qualifications. Is the Minister aware of that?
No. The position is absolutely clear. In the health services there are no medical referees as such. The director of community care who is medically qualified is responsible for assessing the medical condition of a person who applies for any of the personal income allowances or indeed schemes such as the mobility scheme referred to. The director of community care who is medically qualified or the area medical officer who works along with him and who is also medically qualified will assess the medical condition of the person. I am not aware, nor do I think it is possible, that anyone other than these people do the work.