Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Apr 1991

Vol. 407 No. 1

Written Answers. - Neurosurgical Operation.

Bernard Allen

Question:

284 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the situation whereby his Department have decided to send a young County Limerick child abroad for a neurosurgical operation rather than pay for it to be done in the Mater Private Hospital, Dublin by a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon (details supplied) in accordance with the wishes of the parents and the referring consultant.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

Neither the Department of Health nor the Mid-Western Health Board were responsible for the recommendation to send this child abroad for neurosurgical treatment.

That recommendation was made by the neurosurgeons dealing with the patient at Beaumont Hospital and that decision was unanimously adopted by the surgical division of the hospital.

Beaumont Hospital is the national centre for neurosurgical treatment in the State. It is the policy of Beaumont Hospital that, where a consultant neurosurgeon judges that he does not have the expertise to deal with a particular case, he will discuss the matter with his consultant neurosurgical colleagues in order to determine if the required expertise is available within the hospital. It has always been the policy of the hospital that, if the required expertise is not available, the patients may be referred abroad for treatment.

When the circumstances of the child were brought to the attention of my Department by the Mid-Western Health Board in July 1990, Beaumont Hospital was contacted on the matter.

I was informed by the hospital that the unanimous recommendation of their surgical division, on the advice of the neurosurgeons dealing with the patient was that she should be sent abroad for treatment to one of three nominated centres.

The child's parents were subsequently advised by my Department of this specialist medical opinion of the consultants in Beaumont Hospital. The Mid-Western Health Board subsequently wrote to the parents to advise them that funding for the treatment of their daughter would only be provided in accordance with this recommended course of action.

The Mid-Western Health Board pointed out to the parents that the choice, to opt for private treatment, was a matter for themselves but that neither the board nor the Department would be in a position to fund the cost of such treatment from public funds should they choose that option.