Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 914: To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that patients (details supplied) in County Laois requiring a spinal stimulator are being refused treatment in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, because they do not live in the catchment area; the action he proposes to take on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26809/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Hospitals have built up informal catchment areas over a number of years and any individual hospital often has a number of "catchment areas" reflecting the different geographic areas from which it normally accepts referrals of different types. Issues with catchment areas are typically cyclical and often reflect, amongst other things, the economic cycle.

The growing budgetary and activity performance pressures on hospitals has led to some hospitals enforcing a more strict adherence to what they view as their catchment areas for different aspects of their service. It has also been legitimately queried why, in some cases, patients are bypassing recently developed suitable services in hospitals closer to the patient requiring that patient to travel longer distances to a larger tertiary hospital which is under greater pressure and may have longer outpatient waiting times.

It has been agreed however, that an inconsistent approach is not in the best interest of patients and therefore it has been agreed in the interim that any planned and agreed changes in referrals/catchment areas should not impact on patients who are already on a waiting list in a particular hospital or are patients in long term care/treatment.

Where, by exception, it is agreed that existing patients on a waiting list should be considered for transfer to another hospital waiting list this should be on the basis that they will be able to access their service in the new hospital earlier or at a minimum no later than had they remained on the original waiting list.

Patients should be informed of any proposed changes in advance and any concerns they may raise dealt with appropriately. In relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.