Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 4

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

246 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children if financial assistance will be given to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who has had to travel to the United States for life-saving surgery, which was not available here, at great expense to them and to their family; if his Department will liaise with the North-Western Health Board on this matter; if a scheme exists at departmental level to assist in such exceptional cases; and if not, if such a scheme will be established. [18103/03]

Responsibility for the provision of health services for residents of County Donegal rests with the North-Western Health Board. Therefore, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in this case and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Where an individual requires specific treatment which is necessary and which cannot be provided in Ireland, a health board may refer the person to another EU member state for treatment. Under EU regulations, the board issues form E112 to the person being referred to establish his or her entitlement to such treatment and to imply a commitment by the health board to pay the full cost of the treatment. My Department has issued guidelines which set down the criteria to be used by health boards when assessing applications for approval of forms E112, as follows: the application to refer a patient abroad must be assessed before the patient goes abroad except in cases of extreme urgency; medical evidence must be provided by a hospital consultant giving details of the condition from which the patient suffers and of the type of treatment envisaged; and it must be certified by the consultant that the treatment concerned is not available in this country, there is an urgent medical necessity for the treatment, there is a reasonable medical prognosis, the treatment is regarded as a proven form of medical treatment, the treatment abroad is in a recognised hospital or other institution and is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.
No formal scheme exists at departmental level for cases outside of the EU. However, exceptional cases can be considered by the chief executive officer of each health board-authority on an individual basis.
Question No. 247 answered with Question No. 207.
Top
Share