Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
847 Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health his views on the procedures followed and those responsible for the issuing of taxi travel expenses for those that qualify in relation to hospital appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26271/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has no statutory obligation to provide patient transport, other than emergency transport. The cost to the health service of providing non-emergency patient transport, in particular for outpatient (OPD) appointments, has been escalating in recent years and non-essential provision has been identified as an area suitable for budgetary control. Accordingly, criteria have been restricted considerably in recent times and a uniform approach is being rolled out across the health regions.
In general, patients are expected to make their own way to and from hospital and OPD appointments, using private or scheduled public transport. e exceptions are for dialysis, cancer (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and post-operative transplant patients. In these cases, the patient's appointment should be directly related to the treatment. Transport may also be provided where, in the clinician's view, the patient would be unable to make the journey without clinical assistance or where the patient must be transported on a stretcher.
Where transport has been withdrawn, having previously been provided, this may be as a result of the Local Health Office (LHO) beginning to implement the national criteria. If a patient feels there is a genuine case for provision, then they should approach the LHO. If they feel there is a genuine clinical reason for transport to be provided, their clinician should make a case for it.
