Vol. 547 No. 1
831 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of medical examiners used in determining disability benefit and invalidity pension claims; the record of each as to the percentage of applications they approved or refused in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1795/02]
832 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the adequacy or otherwise of the various medical examiners used by his Department in determining disability benefit and invalidity pension claims; the way in which these examiners are recruited; the steps which are taken to monitor their performance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1796/02]
854 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a support letter from a qualified and practising general practitioner is insufficient for applicants of disability allowance, disability benefit and invalidity pension; the reason his Department has each application reassessed by a medical referee or adviser; and the reason this practise is necessary. [2238/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 831, 832 and 854 together.
The current cadre of medical assessors in my Department comprises the chief medical adviser, deputy chief medical adviser and 18 medical assessors. These are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners and registered with the Medical Council. Many have postgraduate qualifications in occupational medicine, some to specialist level. They are recruited via the Civil Service Commission and a condition of appointment is that they must have had at least six years experience in general medical practice.
All medical assessors receive continuing medical education, by national and international experts, in human Disability evaluation medicine. Most are members of the Irish Society of Occupational Medicine. The chief medical adviser and his deputy also hold regular meetings and seminars in the course of which a range of medical issues and developments in the field of occupational medicine are discussed and guidelines formulated. The role of the medical assessor is to review applications for payment of illness related benefits, particularly where payment on a long-term or continuing basis may be involved.
Initial claims for disability benefit are not generally assessed by a medical assessor but are paid on the basis of medical evidence from the persons' own doctor. As part of the normal controls on disability benefit payments, however, claims are referred to medical assessors from time to time to verify that the conditions of entitlement continue to be fulfilled and to prevent and detect unwarranted claims. Claims for long-term payments such as disability allowance and invalidity pension also involve an initial diagnosis by the person's own doctor but are submitted to a medical assessor before the claim is put into payment.
In assessing the degree of incapacity the medical assessor reviews the history of the case, considers all available medical evidence, including any reports to hand from general practitioners and consultants and, where considered appropriate, carries out a medical examination. Where a person appeals against a decision on an illness related payment the case is referred to a different medical assessor for examination before a decision is made. Any additional specialist medical advise which the medical assessor considers necessary is also obtained in order to ensure that, the ultimate decision is based on sound medical evidence.
