Thomas Pringle TD has today criticised the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore on the refusal of Dublin hospitals to treat patients from outside their catchment area due to funding issues by the HSE.
Speaking to Gilmore today at Leaders’ Questions, the Independent TD for Donegal South West stated that: “Over the last few months a policy has emerged in the Dublin hospitals that is preventing seriously ill people from getting treatment. Patients who were being treated for serious illnesses that require specialist treatment which is only available at these hospitals are now being refused treatment because they are not from the catchment area of the hospital.
“It appears that the hospitals are not being funded by the HSE for these treatments because the patients live in a certain part the country and are now being forced to cease treating these patients.
“One young woman from Donegal has been refused treatment in St Vincent’s Hospital. The hospital removed a spinal stimulator from her back for an MRI scan and has now refused to replace it because they say they have no funding for it as she’s not from the catchment area of the hospital. This is utter madness,” stated Pringle
“The Minister for Health talks about ‘money following the patient’.The Labour party says it has a policy for universal health care to ensure that everyone receives timely treatment.
How can Labour ever hope to achieve a universal health care system when they can’t even provide treatment for people just because of where they come from? Is this the type of treatment that Irish people can look forward to under Labour’s Way?”
“The whole situation is ludicrous and is outright discrimination against these people. This matter must be addressed immediately,” stated Pringle
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