Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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395. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a full copy of the medical protocols used to assess eligibility to payments on medical grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55939/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Following clarification with the Deputy’s office, the protocols requested pertain to DCA and Invalidity Pension.

Domiciliary Care Allowance

The fundamental guidelines for assessing Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) was developed by an Expert Medical Group (available on www.gov.ie) was established in advance of the transfer of the scheme to this Department in 2009, and recommended that the most appropriate way for the Department to conduct assessments for medical eligibility was by assessment of the evidence submitted by the claimant, as provided by themselves and the medical staff who regularly see the child. What is being assessed is the level of additional care and attention that the child requires as a result of that condition/disability and if this is substantially in excess of that required by a child of the same age without the condition.

Eligibility for the DCA is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted.

Medical Assessors will take the following into account before giving his/her opinion on whether the child meets the medical criteria:

- Review the history of the case

- Consider all medical reports received

- Have regard to the description of the care and attention required by the child given by the parent/guardian.

Updates to the eligibility and application process were included following departmental review of the scheme in 2012. These include

- A revised application form,

- Improved information provision with new information guidelines, and

- Advance notification to the customer of an upcoming review and extended time to return the review form with any supporting documentation parents may wish to have considered, and

- An additional medical specialist form is requested in applications involving children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Depending on the medical condition(s) and the age of the child, the tools/aids used to assess an application is tailored to the medical condition(s), including the information available on www.cdc.gov for developmental milestones.

Invalidity Pension

Medical Assessors will assess if claimants are medically unfit for work and qualify on medical grounds for Invalidity Pension.

To qualify claimants must:

- have been incapable of work (and on Illness Benefit) for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months.

or

- be permanently incapable of work.

In the process of assessment, Medical Assessors exercise their knowledge and skills, supported by a structured programme of academic and continued medical education activities. Where required they have access to international best practice, such as NICE guidelines and the Medical Disability Guidelines for reference.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.