Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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208. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the mini bus ambulance from west Wicklow bringing people daily to various hospital appointments in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28166/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Patient transport is the responsibility of the HSE. However, people attending outpatient and hospital appointments are, in general, expected to make their own travel arrangements, using private or scheduled public transport. The exceptions are for dialysis, cancer (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and post-operative transplant patients, where transport may be provided. In these cases, the patient's appointment or treatment should be directly related to the treatment.

Transport may also be provided where, in the clinician's view, the patient would be unable to make the journey without clinical assistance or where the patient must be transported on a stretcher.

Following implementation of the HSE's non-ambulance patient transport policy, responsibility for the arrangement and provision of non-ambulance transport has moved from the HSE National Ambulance Service to local health offices in each region. If a patient or his or her clinician considers that transport is required, the local health office should be contacted.

In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.