Smith queries cross border patient transfer scheme

The situation where elderly patients from Northern Ireland are travelling south for orthopaedic and eye treatments under the same EU scheme that allows residents in the State cross the Border to receive the same care in the north was recently highlighted in the Dáil by Deputy Brendan Smith.

In a question to the Health Minister, Simon Harris, Deputy Smith queried about the prospects for additional orthopaedic capacity for patients in Cavan and Monaghan in 2020.

in his reply the minister said: “I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and that this places a burden on patients and their families. We are committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.”

Minister Harris also said the Government announced in budget 2020 that it has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) increasing to €100 million in 2020.

“I know that is an issue of importance to the Deputy. This year-on-year increase to the NTPF provides opportunities to further improve waiting times,” Minister Harris.

He continued: “We now have a significant access fund of €100 million and we will be inviting proposals on what more can be done, whether in Cavan, Monaghan or other parts of the country, of which hospital groups are aware.”

Deputy Smith highlighted the situation where patients are going North to access services, and at the same time Belfast newspapers are advertising services available from Irish private hospitals to patients in Northern Ireland.

Under the directive, an eligible patient can pay for treatment in the North and be refunded by the HSE afterwards. A similar process applies to patients in the North with the National Health Service.

Deputy Smith said: “If there is capacity to carry out procedures here, let them be carried out here instead of people having to head to Belfast or elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

It would cost less if those people could undergo those procedures in our own State. It does not make sense that clinics and hospitals in Northern Ireland are looking to attract our patients while private hospitals in our State are looking to attract patients from Northern Ireland.”