Nora Owen
Ceist:387 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the actions he will take in relation to the inclusion of polio in the long-term illness scheme and in a number of areas (details supplied) regarding this illness. [11842/02]
Written Answers. - Long-Term Illness Scheme.
Persons suffering from any of the following conditions, who are not already medical card holders, may obtain without charge drugs and medicines for the treatment of that condition under the long-term illness scheme: mental handicap, mental illness, for persons under 16 years only, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, parkinsonism and acute leukaemia. There are no plans to amend the scheme to include persons with polio.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide. In determining eligibility, the chief executive officer has regard to the applicant's financial circumstances. Health boards use income guidelines to assist in determining eligibility. However, where a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis.
Non-medical card holders, and people with conditions not covered under the long-term illness scheme, can use the drugs payment scheme. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €53.33 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
The provision of health related services to people with physical and sensory disabilities, including those with post-polio syndrome, is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards in the first instance. Health boards provide a range of support services to enable people with physical and sensory disabilities to live as independently as possible within the community. This includes residential respite care, day care, home support, including personal assistance services, nursing, therapy, counselling and family support, aids and appliances. Specialised residential care services are also provided.
Significant additional funding of over €175 million has been provided by this Government since coming into office. This level of funding indicates the Government's ongoing commitment to the provision of quality services. In addition to this level of funding, my Department, in conjunction with the health research board, the health boards and the voluntary sector service providers, is currently developing the national physical and sensory disability database, which I recently launched. When complete, the database will provide at local level, a detailed picture of each individual's health service requirements over a five year period; at national level, detailed statistical information to assist in the funding of and to identify priority services at which to target these resources. The database will be an essential tool in the delivery of effective services to people with physical and sensory disabilities in a planned and co-ordinated manner.
The above issues relate to the many conditions which cause physical and sensory disabilities, including post-polio syndrome. It is not proposed to form a committee relating specifically to that condition. It is worth noting, however, that the Disability Federation of Ireland, of which the post-polio support group is a member, is represented at various forums, such as the national physical and sensory disability database committee and the review group on home support services.