Vol. 554 No. 5
937 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if it is official Government policy to penalise sick persons for using the health services; and his views on whether there is a need for urgently needed investment in the health services. [15548/02]
Currently, there is a statutory charge of €40 for attendance at accident and emergency departments. This charge is levied only on persons who attend accident and emergency departments without a referral note from their doctor, and applies only for the first visit of any episode of care. The charge does not apply to the following groups: medical card holders, persons admitted to hospital as a result of attending the A & E department, persons receiving treatment for prescribed infectious diseases, children up to six weeks of age, children suffering from prescribed diseases and disabilities, and children referred for treatment from child health clinics and school health examinations, women receiving maternity services.
The A & E charge is based on the principle that those who can afford to do so are required to make a contribution towards the cost of providing hospital services. The income raised from the charge represents a valuable source of finance for our public hospitals and is important as an incentive towards the appropriate use of accident and emergency departments.
This year, almost €8.2 billion is being invested in our health service – this represents an increase of 16% over 2001, and an overall increase of 134% since 1997.
Gross non-capital health expenditure now stands at 7.8% of GNP, the highest level in almost twenty years. Furthermore, when you look at the last four years, it can be seen that the rate of increase in gross non-capital health expenditure has been outstripping the rate of increase in GNP by an average of 10% each year.
These figures demonstrate the clear and sustained commitment of this Government since first coming into office in 1997 to bring investment in the health services to a level never previously occurring in this country.
