5 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with the arrangements made to implement the new health eligibility entitlements in each health board area; if any cases of hardship arising from implementation have been brought to his attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As I explained to the House during the debate on the Health (Amendment) Bill, the new eligibility arrangements are being introduced on a phased basis. The first two stages of the process were implemented on Saturday, 1 June when the Health (Amendment) Act came into effect. Firstly, the income limit for category 2 services was removed from that date, so that all those who wish to avail of public consultant care may now do so. Secondly, the clear identification of the status of every patient, as either the public or private patient of the consultant, was implemented in each public hospital, also on 1 June.
The next stage of the process involves the designation of public and private beds and the gradual implementation of the requirement that, except in emergency cases, private patients must be accommodated in designated private beds and public patients in designated public beds. The Health Services (In-Patient) Regulations, 1991, which have been laid before the House, specify that the designation of beds is subject in all cases to my approval and also provide for the phasing, over a three-year period, of the requirements in relation to access to beds, again subject to my approval.
My Department are at present involved in discussions with each health board and voluntary hospital in relation to their proposals for the designation of beds and the phasing of the requirements in relation to their use. I have made it clear that my approval of proposals will be based on careful examination of the information available on the pattern of usage of each hospital as between public and private patients. The purpose of the new system is to benefit public patients by giving them greater access to public beds. Private patients will be adequately catered for in private beds and semi-private beds. The number of the latter beds can increase if this proves necessary, but this will be on a self-funding basis and will not be at the expense of public beds.
No cases of hardship arising from the implementation of the new eligibility system have been brought to my attention.
May I ask the Minister if any private patients have applied under the new scheme for a public bed since 1 June?
That information was not requested by the Deputy in his question and I do not have it available to me. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that as the scheme has only been in operation for less than a fortnight that information would not be available to me in my Department.
I have to say that the time for dealing with priority questions is exhausted. We now proceed to other questions.
