Vol. 423 No. 5
117 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of sick or disability benefit cases referred to the medical referee in the past 12 months; the number of instances where in the referee overturned the previous decision; the number of instances in which the medical referee's decision was seriously at variance with the independent medical opinion submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A total of 67,857 persons were referred for medical referee examination in the twelve months to end July 1992 — which is the latest date for which figures are available. However, of this total, only 51,033 claimants were in fact examined by a medical referee, the remaining 16,824 having either failed to attend the examination or having ceased to claim disability benefit beforehand. Of the 51,033 claimants examined, 38,019 were found incapable of work and 13,014 were found capable of work.
In the same 12 month period, 5,125 claimants who had been found capable of work and had their benefit entitlement disallowed appealed the decisions and were examined again by a different Medical Referee. The outcome of these examiantions was that 2,666 claimants were again found capable of work and 2,459 claimants were found incapable of work by the medical referees.
I am satisfied that the medical referee examination system works in a satisfactory manner. The role of the Medical Referees is to provide my Department's deciding officers and appeals officers with advice on matters about which they have professional expertise. I believe they do this in a conscientious and impartial manner.
