Ms Catherine Donohoe:

We are expecting increased use of the scheme. We are already seeing that people are using it more as the Covid restrictions are being lifted and as people are feeling more at ease about accessing healthcare. When it comes to meeting the capacity that is something we struggle with to an extent. The processing of an application is time-consuming and paper-based. The internal audit team will come down to meet us again later this week to look at our systems. A lean process has been carried out in the office to try to drive efficiencies so that we can process applications more quickly than we have in the past and we will continue to do that. Ultimately we will require more resources and we will require a dedicated database. All these things are being worked on.

On PMAS and extending it to family members, I understand from Damien Quigley of PMAS that it is looking at doing so. It is not an issue for us. We have no input on who uses the scheme and whether they do it under PMAS or in their own right. I would have concerns if PMAS was to create a waiting list, not because it is another waiting list but because there would be no clinical oversight on such a waiting list and it could be considered that such a waiting list could be an interference with a person's right to access the scheme. I will work with Mr. Quigley to ensure that where a patient is seeking to use the scheme under the PMAS administrative scheme that it also notes that the patient equally has the right to access the scheme outside that arrangement as well. That will solve that problem.