The EU Cross Border Directive (CBD) 2011/24/EU enables persons resident in the State to access and be reimbursed for healthcare in another EU/EEA Member State by the HSE, provided such healthcare is publicly available within Ireland. As a result of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the provisions of the EU Cross Border Directive no longer apply to the UK, including Northern Ireland.
Separately, the Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme has been in effective operation since 1 January 2021. This Scheme was introduced to mitigate the loss of access to care from private providers in Northern Ireland under the EU Cross Border Directive, which ceased to apply as a result of Brexit. The Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme enables persons resident in the State to access and be reimbursed for private healthcare in Northern Ireland by the HSE, provided such healthcare is publicly available within Ireland.