Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I refer to medical cards. Last Thursday I raised an issue on the Order of Business. We fought with the Department and HSE to resolve the issue over the weekend. A letter was sent by a consultant to a patient stating that the patient was terminally ill. A letter was sent by a GP outlining the extent of the cancer from which the patient was suffering. The medical card section refused to accept the letter and sent an e-mail seeking clarification on whether the patient was receiving end-of-life treatment.

I asked the HSE on a number of occasions on Thursday and Friday what part of "terminally ill" it did not understand. There is an issue. What happened over the weekend in regard to the patient to whom I referred was disgusting. The matter has been resolved and I thank those who helped to resolve it, but something has happened with regard to the issuing of discretionary medical cards. Consultants do not refer to end-of-life treatment on application forms or letters for obvious reasons.

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