Michael D'Arcy
Ceist:93 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce guidelines for eligibility for various elements of community care so that patients would know where they stand and there would be uniformity between regions.
Written Answers. - Community Care Guidelines.
As promised in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, the chief executive officers of the health boards have carried out a review of the assessment procedures for medical card eligibility throughout the country. This will result in uniformity in the criteria for access to the key community-based services such as free general practitioner care.
In relation to certain other community-based services, such as the provision of home helps, meals on wheels and community paramedical services, health boards have considerable discretion as to eligibility criteria under the terms of the present legislation. However, as already announced, I will be bringing amending legislation before the House to provide for the reorganisation of the health services. In preparing this legislation I will give careful consideration to the desirability of providing for a greater degree of uniformity in the criteria for access to such services.