Vol. 490 No. 3
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if recipients of a social welfare payment who require a medical examination are allowed a companion with them when they attend a medical referee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10101/98]
A person called for medical examination may be accompanied by his or her medical certifier. The medical certifier is notified of the date, time and place of the examination and invited to be present if he or she so wishes. In practice, however, it is rare for medical certifiers to be present at such examinations.
Requests are sometimes made for the attendance of another person at a medical examination, for example, a relative of the person being examined. Normally, such requests are made in advance of the examination and the medical assessor uses his or her discretion in deciding where such attendance would be appropriate in the circumstances. I am not aware of any particular difficulties with these arrangements.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I have dealt with a few cases concerning this matter and there is some confusion about it, particularly among the elderly. It is seldom that a medical certifier is present at a patient's medical examination. There is a good deal of confusion about whether elderly people are entitled to bring a relative with them. Must a general practitioner suggest that a relative accompany an elderly person or must the applicant make a request to that effect to the Department prior to his or her medical examination?
There is no hard and fast rule about this, but if people want to bring a someone with them, the normal procedure is that a request to that effect is made in advance.
