Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
373. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Health the status of services for venesection for persons with haemochromatosis; if the issue of the €80 fee that these persons must pay when they attend outpatient departments is being considered in the context of the overall general practitioner contract review process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17575/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe majority of venesections are undertaken in acute hospitals. The treatment is also delivered in the community, by some General Practitioners and at some Irish Blood Transfusion Service centres.
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in Ireland are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services including consultant services and to public out-patient hospital services. Under Section 52 of the Health Act 1970, as amended by Section 12 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2013, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out-patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies.
My Department is currently considering the issue of the application of the public in-patient charge of €80 for venesection in Acute Hospitals as well as broader issues in relation to the treatment of patients with Hereditary Haemochromatosis.
The Deputy may be aware of the ongoing review of the General Medical Scheme and other publicly funded contracts involving GPs, and that discussions with GP representatives to progress this work are to commence in the coming weeks. I expect that the issue of venesection services for patients with haemochromatosis will be considered in the context of the overall GP contract review process.
