Vol. 550 No. 4
372 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give assurances that the domiciliary care allowance is payable from the date of diagnosis and not from the date the application is received by the health board. [8644/02]
373 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will instruct the local health boards to undertake a review of the process of the way in which the domiciliary care allowance is granted; and if it is possible for the health boards to obtain the necessary information from the hospital rather than the patient's having to undergo an examination by a medical officer from the health board as this causes undue distress to the people involved. [8645/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 373 together.
Domiciliary care allowance, DCA, is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. DCA is paid in respect of eligible children from the date of application up to the age of 16 years whose disability is so severe that they require constant care and attention which is considerably in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age. It is a matter for the senior area medical officer in the relevant health board to decide whether a child qualifies for DCA. In reaching such a decision, the senior area medical officer may consider a report from any doctor or any hospital which has treated the child.
A national health board working group is currently examining all the disability related allowances and grants which come under the aegis of my Department, including domiciliary care allowance. When the group has finalised its report, its recommendations will be considered in consultation with the Department of Finance and in the context of the many competing demands for resources within the health sector.
