Vol. 408 No. 1
83 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health whether he has studied the implications of the higher rate of illness among low income families, noted by the recent Commission on Health Funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the recent report of the Economic and Social Research Institute entitled “Unemployment, Poverty and Psychological Distress”. I was pleased to be able to provide financial assistance towards the cost of this study and I am having the detailed findings of the report examined in my Department is so far as they relate to the health services. I might add that the linkage between unemployment, low income and levels of illness is well recognised.
My Department are addressing this issue in a number of ways. It is clear that prevention is better than cure. This is truer in the health area that in most other areas. The major causes of death, such as cancer, cardiac and respiratory illnesses, are to a significant extent determined by the choices people make about diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise and stress. My Department have an active health promotion unit who are continuing to tackle this situation.
With regard to availability of health services, 35 per cent of the population are medical card holders who have full eligibility for all health services. Income guidelines are available to assist the chief executive officers of the health boards in deciding on applications for medical cards. These guidelines are not statutorily binding and the chief executive officers have discretion in cases of hardship to issue a medical card even if the income is above the guidelines.
A range of factors such as family size and medical conditions are taken into account. The chief executive officers also have discretion to waive the statutory charges for public hospital services for non-medical card holders in cases where payment would cause undue hardship. In view of these discretionary powers of the chief executive officers, I am satisfied that no one is denied essential health services due to inability to pay.
