James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, eligibility for public health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. All persons normally resident in the State are eligible for inpatient and outpatient public hospital services, including consultant services. It is unacceptable for a patient to be informed at short notice that a hospital will not treat them because they are in the wrong catchment area, and my Department has been working with the HSE to clarify its policy in this area.

A letter issued to all hospitals on 15 May from the national directors of the HSE and the chief operating officer of the special delivery unit, SDU, setting out the position on catchment areas. With immediate effect all hospitals were instructed to refrain from any further limiting of historic catchment areas, that is, to further refusal of referrals from areas from which such referrals have been accepted since 2009. This will be retrospective to the start of this year, in most cases subject to discussion. This will apply to both new referrals and to existing patients in long-term care or treatment.

My prime objective is to ensure the safety of patients and I am pleased to say this issue was given the immediate attention it required and was dealt with in a rapid and efficient manner. I am confident the regional directors of operations, RDOs, working with the hospitals have gained their full co-operation in eradicating this issue. The SDU will continue to work with the HSE to embed improved GP referral systems which will enhance patient access to the health services.

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