Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Dec 1984

Vol. 354 No. 12

Written Answers. - Medical Treatment Abroad.

595.

Miss Harney

asked the Minister for Health the number of people sent abroad for medical treatment funded by his Department or the health boards; the illnesses for which they were sent abroad for treatment; to which countries; and the amount it cost.

Minister for Health (Mr. B. Desmond)

Where the cost of referring a patient abroad for medical treatment is in excess of £1,000, a health board must seek my approval to its providing financial assistance. The number of such applications received in my Department in the period January-November 1984 in respect of which I have given approval amounted to 34.

The nature of illness in each case, the country to which each case was referred for treatment and the amount of financial assistance approved is contained in the following tabular statement:

Illness	Country	Cost
Eye Disease	England	£5,000 sterling
Epilepsy	England	£6,000 sterling
Cruzons Disease	England	£9,000 sterling
Osteotomy	England	IR £2,500
Liver Transplant	England	IR £10,000
Liver Disease (Amyloidosis)	England	£8,000 sterling
Juvenile Fibromatosis	USA	IR £22,637
Exotrophy of Bladder with Microphallus	USA	IR £38,000
Orthopaedic Surgery	England	IR £2,000
Bone Marrow Transplant	England	IR £20,000 (approx.)
Muscle Disorder Diagnosis	England	IR £3,000
Bone Marrow Transplant	Canada	IR £28,000
Aperts Syndrome	Scotland	IR £2,541
Epilepsy Surgery	Canada	IR £18,000
Bone Marrow Transplant	England	£12,000 sterling
Congenital Bone Defect	Belfast	IR £4,500
Arthritis	England	£1,000 sterling
Bone Marrow	England	£12,000 sterling
Skin Disease	England	£6,000 sterling
Congenital Gynaecological Condition	England	IR £1,554.63
Scoliosis	England	IR £3,500
Radiotherapy Treatment	England	£9,500 sterling
Proton Beam Treatment	USA	IR £12,000
Chronic Juvenile Arthritis	England	IR £6,000
Tumor Removal	USA	$20,000 (dollars)
Aperts Syndrome	Canada	IR £25,442
Tumour	England	£6,000 sterling
Spinal Injury	Belfast	£4,195.80 sterling
Facial Deformity	USA	IR £5,500 (approx.)
Severe Burns	England	£1,836 sterling
Neuroblastoma	England	£2,000 sterling (approx.)
Finger Amputation	Belfast	£9,000 sterling (approx.)
Epilepsy	Canada	Final cost not yet established
Photosensitivity	Scotland	IR £3,500 (approx.)

Information relating to the referral of cases costing under £1,000 may be obtained from the individual health boards.