Written Answers Nos. 1270-1289
1274. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has identified any governance, financial-control or accountability risks arising from the absence of publicly available approval thresholds within the treatment abroad scheme. [39170/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1278. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has established any expenditure cap, annual limit or financial-control mechanism applicable to individual treatment abroad scheme referrals. [39174/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1279. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the dates on which the treatment abroad scheme was last audited by the HSE Internal Audit Office and by the Comptroller and Auditor General respectively; whether any findings, recommendations or corrective actions arose from those audits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39181/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1283. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the quarterly oversight meetings between the treatment abroad scheme and the Department of Health produce formal minutes, action logs or governance reports; and whether these documents are retained centrally by the Department. [39185/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1311. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department of Health receives specialty-specific approval or expenditure data from the treatment abroad scheme during quarterly oversight meetings. [39214/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1283 and 1311 together.
The Treatment Abroad Scheme operates within the overall health expenditure framework approved by the Oireachtas through the Estimates process and reflected in the HSE National Service Plan. The HSE is required, under the Performance and Accountability Framework agreed with my Department, to deliver all services, including the Treatment Abroad Scheme, within its overall annual budget allocation and to put in place appropriate governance, monitoring and financial controls.
While access to the Treatment Abroad Scheme is determined by individual clinical eligibility rather than fixed activity quotas, it is not exempt from budgetary oversight. Expenditure on the scheme is monitored as part of the HSE’s monthly financial reporting, and pressures arising within the scheme must be managed by the HSE within its overall annual budget allocation.
The Department currently receives an HSE Activity and Expenditure Data Report, which includes TAS information, from the HSE on a quarterly basis. Officials from my Department engage in quarterly performance oversight meetings with the HSE TAS office based on the contents of this report, with additional engagement as required. It is important to note this engagement is in addition to the overall budgetary and performance framework within which the HSE operates.
1285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been undertaken regarding the appropriateness of relying primarily on referring consultants for overseas treatment selection and governance assurance under the treatment abroad scheme. [39187/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA Member State, UK or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009. The EU TAS is a consultant led scheme and allows for a public consultant based in Ireland 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 EU 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 referring consultant following clinical assessment of the patient, taking into account their current state of health and the probable course of their illness, certifies 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.
Applications to the TAS are processed and a determination given in accordance with the statutory framework prior to a patient travelling to avail of treatment. The HSE is responsible for implementing the Regulations in Ireland and provides further information for patients on the HSE TAS website
https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/treatment-abroad-scheme/
1288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has conducted any assessment of the long-term financial impact of increasing reliance on the treatment abroad scheme for procedures not currently available in Ireland. [39190/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
