Vol. 531 No. 3
33 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if applicants for disability benefit or disability allowance, where the illness is of a psychiatric or psychological nature, are medically assessed in all cases by medical staff who have the necessary psychiatric or psychological training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5714/01]
40 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of medical referees employed by his Department; the medical qualifications of each of the referees; and if psychologists and psychiatrists are employed from the point of view of determining the medical disability of persons claiming various disability or invalidity allowances on the basis of their mental incapacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5207/01]
55 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if psychologists or psychiatrists carry out medical examinations on applicants for disability benefit or disability allowance where the applicant is making the application on the basis of a psychiatric or related illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5203/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 40 and 55 together.
Where a person claims a payment from my Department in respect of disability, an opinion regarding a claimant's medical condition is given in the first instance by the person's own doctor. Where required, a second opinion is provided by medical assessors employed by my Department for the guidance of the Department's deciding officers who ultimately determine entitlement.
This follows an overall assessment of the situation and the carrying out of a medical examination in appropriate cases.
Currently, there are 21 medical assessors, including the chief medical adviser and the deputy chief medical adviser. They are recruited via the Civil Service Commission and a condition of their appointment is that they must have at least six years' experience in general medical practice. They are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners who have full registration in accordance with Medical Council criteria. Prior to qualification as doctors, each undergoes psychiatric training to the appropriate level.
Among the medical assessor cadre are individual doctors with post-graduate and higher qualifications in various fields of occupational medicine, including psychology and psychotherapy. Ongoing medical education is provided by national and international experts in the evaluation of disability. There are also regular meetings and seminars under the direction of the chief medical adviser where a range of medical issues and developments in the occupational medicine field are discussed.
When a claimant is called for a medical examination, the medical assessor will have available to him or her the initial medical diagnosis, supplemented, where appropriate, by relevant specialist and other reports. The claimant's doctor is informed and may attend the medical examination if he so desires. Where considered necessary, there is provision for the chief medical adviser or the chief appeals officer to seek specialist consultant advice in a particular case.
In the course of medical examinations of claimants all relevant and available medical information is taken into account.
Any information provided by the claimant is also taken into account. Where further specialists' advice is considered necessary, it is obtained. I am satisfied that claimants are treated in a fair and equitable manner having regard to the need to ensure that the conditions for entitlements to disability payments are upheld.
Is it the true that cases requiring psychiatric or psychological intervention or assessment are increasing? Is the Minister satisfied that there are sufficient people with expertise in the Department to deal with this issue? How many people are claiming disability benefit or allowance who have psychological or psychiatric difficulties?
I do not have any figures. If the Deputy tables a specific question I will try to get the figures. I anticipate there will be no discernible increase in the figures. If so, they would have been notified to me before now.
