Tom Moffatt
Ceist:101 Dr. Moffatt asked the Minister for Health if he will grant hepatitis C sufferers the right to private treatment for the various sequelae of this disease on the hepatitis C treatment card as issued by his Department. [7699/97]
Written Answers - Hospital Services.
Limerick East): Acute hospital services for persons diagnosed positive of hepatitis C have been provided since February 1994 in special units in six designated hospitals, Beaumont Hospital, the Mater Hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park and St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Cork University Hospital and University College Hospital, Galway. These services, provided under the Health Act, 1970, are free of charge and include access to both in-patient and out-patient treatment as required. Special funding has been and will continue to be provided by the Government for these services. These secondary care services are public health services. The VHI provides cover towards the cost of private hospital accommodation and consultant's charges for members who contracted hepatitis C through the receipt within the State of a blood transfusion or blood product.
The Health (Amendment) Act, 1996, was introduced to provide a statutory basis for the delivery of primary health care services and it came into operation on 23 September 1996. Persons eligible to receive services under the Act are those who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer or a health board, have contracted hepatitis C directly or indirectly from the use of human immunoglobulin — anti-D or the receipt within the State of another blood product or a blood transfusion. Eligibiliy is determined on an individual basis without a means test and applies for the lifetime of the eligible person. Eligible persons are issued with a Health (Amendment) Act, 1996, services card. Services card holders are entitled to a range of primary care services, including general medical and surgical services from the general practitioner of their choice in respect of all medical conditions, drugs, medicines and medical and surgical applicances free of charge which have been prescribed by a medical practitioner, counselling services, home nursing services, home help services, and access to the existing arrangements covering ophthalmic, dental and aural services.
At my request, each health board appointed a liaison officer to ensure the smooth operation of the delivery of services under the Act and to serve as a contact point for individuals and with the various interest groups whose members avail of services under the Act. The liaison officers deal with applications and queries on an ongoing basis and each case is examined individually to ensure that the best service possible is provided to the services card holder.
All the health care services which I have mentioned were introduced as part of the health care package which I agreed with the four representative groups in December 1995. The Deputy may also be aware that the consultative council, which I established in November 1996, comprises representatives from the four groups representing hepatitis C sufferers. One of the functions of the consultative council is to advise and make recommendations to the Minister for Health on all aspects of hepatitis C, on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister, and in particular on the health and counselling services for persons with hepatitis C, and the changing needs of persons infected with hepatitis C in order to ensure that the health services respond effectively to such changing needs. The council held its first meeting last week and I am confident that it will be proactive in relation to advising and recommending any health care changes which it considers are necessary in order to deal adequately with the health of hepatitis C sufferers.