Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004
326 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the provision of services for the survivors of symphysiotomy particularly the provision of a national helpline and special services cards. [19596/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt a meeting with the Survivors of Symphysiotomy, SOS, group late last year, I agreed that a range of measures would be put in place by the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and the health boards to support the group. My Department is advised that the current position is as follows: The health boards and the relevant voluntary hospitals in the eastern region have appointed liaison officers, who are meeting with patients who have undergone symphysiotomy to discuss their health care needs; an exercise is ongoing, in conjunction with the SOS group, to profile patients in order to assist in formulating a needs assessment for each individual; the CEOs group is finalising arrangements for the establishment of care pathways and for a multi-disciplinary medical team to be made available to patients; independent clinical advice is available, on request, to patients who have undergone symphysiotomy. This has already been availed of by a number of members of SOS; independent counselling services are being made available to patients where requested; an information leaflet has been prepared in consultation with SOS and is expected to issue from the ERHA and health boards to general practitioners and patients shortly; the ERHA and the health boards are also trying to ascertain the number of symphysiotomies carried out in hospitals throughout the country. It may take some time to complete this process as the procedures were carried out some years ago and may have been undertaken in maternity units or in hospitals that no longer exist; the chief executive officers of the health boards and the ERHA have agreed to grant GMS eligibility, based on medical grounds, to SOS patients who do not have such eligibility; arrangements are being made to issue a special patient identifier card to allow for the fast-tracking of patients requiring hospital appointments and treatments.
My Department is advised that the issue of the establishment of a helpline was discussed with the SOS group, and that it was agreed with the group to prioritise the implementation of arrangements in relation to the special services card and the medical management of patients. The question of a national helpline will be reviewed by the ERHA and the health boards in consultation with the SOS group.
In addition to the above measures, the chief medical officer of my Department has contacted an international expert who has expressed an interest in undertaking a review of the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland. It is hoped that this review can commence in the near future.
