Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am thankful to be given this opportunity in Dáil Éireann to raise a very important matter concerning a patient in County Galway who was due to undergo an operation last week in St. Vincent's public hospital in Dublin for the insertion of a special implant known as a spinal pain block to try to lower the most intensive pain that emanates from his back. He was told hospital management at St. Vincent's had decided a few days earlier that it had established a new catchment area, consisting in the main of Dublin city and County Wicklow. For all other patients coming from outside this area the local HSE or the actual patients would have to bear the cost of the operation - in this case €26,000.

This is in spite of the fact that this operation cannot be performed in any other hospital in the country. St. Vincent's Hospital treated patients from all over Ireland until last week. Both the hospital and HSE west are funded from the same HSE purse nationally so this is no more than a tug of war match between two parts of the HSE. The only loser is an elderly patient in County Galway lying on the broad of his back with excruciating pain.

Whoever can knock heads together tomorrow morning, or however it may be done, it cannot be possible, in natural justice, that any person, in particular, any elderly person, should be subject to the treatment this poor man is receiving. I do not know the reason St. Vincent's Hospital has made this decision. I assume it has problems with its budget just as HSE west has problems but neither has the problems of the patient of whom I speak.

I hope the Minister of State will bring this matter to the notice of the Minister, Deputy Harney, tomorrow. Whatever may be done tomorrow, in the name of the Lord I ask that they try to get this man taken into hospital. Granted that even with this procedure the prognosis is not for 100% success, anything would be better than what he has been putting up with for the past ten years. I use whatever words I can to convey to the House that if ever there was an urgent matter regarding a sick patient I am speaking about it now. I have the medical evidence to prove it and all I ask is for the Minister of State to convey to the Minister for Health and Children that something must be done for this patient.

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