asked the Minister for Health whether a medical service card is valid in all parts of the health authority area in which the card is issued.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Validity of Medical Service Cards.
13.
A medical services card issued by a health authority under Section 14 of the Health Act, 1953, entitles the holder, and his dependants, if any, to free general practitioner services from the district medical officer of the dispensary district in which he resides. If, however, a person covered by a medical services card goes to reside either permanently or temporarily in another dispensary district in the functional area of the same health authority, he is entitled to free general practitioner services from the district medical officer of that district.
The foregoing deals with the person, entitled to avail of the district medical officer's services, who is permanently resident in one dispensary district or who goes to live, permanently or temporarily, in another district under the same health authority.
There is also provision in the regulations to cover the case of a person who is entitled to, and needs, general practitioner services but who does not possess a medical card. In that case, an authorised person, e.g., a member of the health authority or an assistance officer, may give the patient a direction in writing to the district medical officer to give that person the necessary medical attention. This provision, while normally intended to apply to a person permanently resident in the district who did not apply for a medical card, would operate also in the case of a person temporarily resident in the district, even though he normally resided in the functional area of another health authority.
Finally, the duties of a district medical officer require him, in case of urgency, to afford medical care to a patient not covered by a medical services card or a direction in writing from an authorised person. In such a case, however, the district medical officer is entitled to require a direction to be presented to him thereafter by or on behalf of such person.
The Minister will appreciate that that reply must be read to be fully understood. Perhaps he would comment on this. Take, for example, the holder of a medical service card who, on a visit to another part of a local authority, becomes suddenly ill or has an accident. Is such person entitled under the regulations to free medical treatment from the dispensary doctor in the new dispensary district?
Where a person in possession of a medical service card transfers, either permanently or temporarily, to another district under the same health authority he is entitled to the services of the dispensary medical officer.
On presentation of the card?
On presentation of the card?