Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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588. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has commissioned research into the reasons persons travel abroad for surgery, and the potential associated risks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3946/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds health research through the Health Research Board (HRB). The HRB is not currently funding any research projects on the reasons persons travel abroad for surgery and potential associated risks. Proposals on this topic, along with any other health-related research topic, would be welcome. The HRB has a suite of grant programmes always open or planned. Projects can focus on clinical care, population health, or health services research. Funding is available for people (at any career stage, in academia or embedded in practice). Full details on these calls and the application process are available on the HRB website: www.hrb.ie. I would encourage researchers and clinicians to apply.

Separately, the HSE currently operates two EU schemes that facilitate patients accessing treatment abroad. The EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) is a consultant led scheme and allows for an Ireland-based public consultant to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved public treatments in another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland through the issue of form S2 (IE) where the treatment is:

- among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation;

- not available in Ireland;

- not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease;

- medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs;

- a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or test treatment;

- provided in a recognised public hospital or other institution that will accept EU/EEA form S2 (IE) and;

- is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.

Patients are advised to contact the HSE TAS office directly, for advice on making an application for treatment abroad, in advance of travelling abroad. Contact details and further information are available on the TAS Website.

Under the terms of the EU Cross Border Directive (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, in fulfilling its role as the National Contact Point (NCP) in Ireland, provides information for patients on the operation of the CBD, including on its website. www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/cross-border-directive/