Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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729. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a review of the community ophthalmic services medical treatment scheme; if he will request this process to be expedited in view of ongoing concerns related to reimbursement from medical professionals in this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29814/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Ophthalmic Services Medical Treatment Scheme (COSMTS) was established in 2004 as a pilot project in response to an identified need. The Scheme engages four practices across seven locations to provide medical and minor surgical care to patients outside of the acute care setting. This allows hospitals and eye clinics to focus on treating more complex conditions. The treatments and the current fees payable under the Scheme were agreed in 2013.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) have advised that a detailed evaluation of the current operation of the COSMTS will need to be carried out before it is extended further. This review remains a priority for my Department in 2023.

To date, my officials have engaged with the HSE to determine how such an evaluative review would best be conducted. My Department continues to pursue this issue with the HSE. The most recent meeting between my officials and their HSE counterparts was yesterday, the 19th of June.