Patientsavailingof freeNIoperations
PATIENTS OPTING TO TRAVEL TO THE NORTH TO AVOID HSE WAITING LISTS
GROWING numbers of Wicklow patients on hospital waiting lists are travelling to Northern Ireland for surgery under the a new directive which allows them to pay upfront and be refunded later by the HSE.
The EU Cross Border Directive has made it possible to patients on waiting lists for procedures such as hip and knee replacements and cataract removal to have their operations complered in hospitals in Northern Ireland in a matter of weeks.
According to local councillor Pat Fitzgerald a number of people from Arklow and Wicklow have already had successful surgeries.
‘I am aware that a number of people have already travelled to the North to have joint replacement surgery and it has been a great success. There is no waiting list and the HSE has made an agreement with Credit Unions so that patients can borrow the money to pay upfront and then replay the loan once the HSE refunds them. It has given people a new lease of life who would otherwise be on waiting lists for months, if not years,’ he said.
Wicklow TD Pat Casey said that this avenue is worth considering for people on these long term waiting lists.
‘My office deals every week with people who are waiting for over 12 months for serious treatments such as hip and knee replacements. These people experience great pain and discomfort while waiting for these procedures and many do not know that they can avail of private treatment in Northern Ireland which can be then refunded through the EU cross border directive by the HSE. While there is some small costs such as travel and accommodation involved the entire cost of the treatment is reimbursed by the HSE under this EU directive. For people in pain this is an avenue worth considering. My information is that Irish Credit Union movement are very agreeable to providing the necessary bridging finance that is needed for this treatment process,’ he said.