Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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675. To ask the Minister for Health the supports in place for a person (details supplied) who needs a medical procedure, given that services are currently not provided in Ireland. [59045/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has asked what schemes can be availed of when a person wishes to travel abroad to another EU Member State for treatment.

The Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) allows public patients to be referred to another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland for treatment, in their public healthcare system, that is not available in Ireland, subject to qualifying criteria. A patient's Irish based consultant is responsible for referring the patient abroad under the terms of the TAS, after having exhausted all treatment options including tertiary care within Ireland. The treatment must be among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation. Also, the treatment must be a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or trial treatment. The HSE provides information for patients on the TAS on its website.

An alternative where the treatment is available in Ireland is the Cross Border Directive (CBD), which the HSE operates in Ireland. Under the terms of the CBD, patients in Ireland can seek to be referred to another EU/EEA country for medical treatment that is available in the public health service in Ireland. The patient may access the overseas service in either the public or private health sector of the country they choose to receive the service in. The patient pays for the treatment and claims reimbursement from the HSE at the cost of that treatment in Ireland or the cost of it abroad, whichever is the lesser. The HSE through the National Contact Point (NCP) provides information for patients on the operation of the CBD. Patients are advised to contact the HSE TAS/CBD office directly, for advice on making an application for treatment abroad under the most appropriate scheme, in advance of traveling abroad. Further information including contact details are available on the HSE TAS and CBD websites.

Regarding Endometriosis Care in Ireland, as part of its role in overseeing the development of gynaecology services, the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) is progressing the development of a National Framework for Endometriosis Care in Ireland in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP). Investment in this area has already commenced over the course of 2021 and 2022 with two supra-regional complex endometriosis services in the process of being established in Tallaght and Cork. In addition, as part of initial investment in endometriosis, services for the management of endometriosis at the Coombe hospital were also expanded.

As a specific procedure has been mentioned and this is a service matter, I have also asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.