Ms Catherine Donohoe:

The figures I will give are up to the end of September and are preliminary. Activity under the provisions of the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme commenced in March 2021. Prior to March, there was no activity under the scheme. This refers to the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme, as opposed to the cross-border healthcare directive, and I will go into the cross-border healthcare directive afterwards. In quarter 1, the number of reimbursements under the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme was 11; this grew to 144 in quarter 2, which is a 13-fold increase, and to 460 in quarter 3, which is a threefold increase on quarter 2. Similarly, in quarter 1, the value of reimbursements was just over €4,000, which rose to €400,000 in quarter 2 and to €1.6 million in quarter 3, giving a total of just over €2 million for the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme since it was introduced. This shows the implementation of the scheme has continued to provide patients with access to healthcare in the private healthcare sector in Northern Ireland that they had previously availed of under the cross-border directive.

So far this year, under the cross-border directive we have 1,900 recorded reimbursements in respect of healthcare in Northern Ireland, which relates to treatments which commenced prior to 31 December 2020. This amount of 1,900 equates to 56% of the total activity under the cross-border directive and the remaining 44% accessed healthcare in the EU or EEA.

The greatest activity in the use of the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme is in counties Donegal, Dublin, Monaghan, Cork, Louth, Cavan, Kerry and Wexford. This shows that the greatest use of the scheme is in the Border region. This is in line with EU-wide experience in regard to cross-border healthcare, which is most used in border regions. The significant volumes in Cork and Kerry may be attributed to a large extent to organised logistical assistance given to patients in accessing healthcare.

In regard to PDFORRA, since PDFORRA established its medical assistance scheme, 327 of its members have availed of treatment under the medical assistance scheme; 227 of these medical interventions were under the cross-border directive and, to date in 2021, 100 have been under the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme. We welcome the intervention of any organisation which, in the interests of patients, provides assistance for accessing healthcare under the schemes.