Cross-Border Health Services Provision

Thursday, 17 January 2019

Questions (172)

John McGuinness

Question:

172. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an assessment and the operation needed for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; if urgent cases such as the case of same can be dealt with under the cross-border initiative; if so, if the HSE will make contact with the person to make the arrangements; the number of persons such as the one in question that were informed on 23 February 2018 that it would be 51 months plus before they would be seen; the steps being taken by him and the HSE to resolve this level of service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2182/19]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for the Government.

The patient may be eligible for treatment under the Cross Border Directive (CBD). The HSE operates the CBD in Ireland. Under the terms of the Directive, patients of an EU/EEA Member State who meet the necessary criteria may opt to avail of healthcare provided under the legislation of their Member State of affiliation in another EU/EEA Member State and be reimbursed the lesser of the cost of receiving the treatment abroad, or the cost in their own Member State. The HSE provides information for patients on the CBD on its website which can be accessed at http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes and also by phone at 056 7784551.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In respect to the particular patient query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.