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A GROUP REPRESENTING community doctors across Ireland has said it will be encouraging patients to seek treatment abroad under an EU scheme to avoid waiting lists.
The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) has announced their intention to campaign for patients to use the Cross Border Healthcare Directive, which allows for EU residents to access health services in EU member states other than their own.
There’s no need to already be on a waiting list to avail of overseas healthcare, and if the patient meets the criteria, they can be reimbursed for the costs from the HSE.
Funding will only be reimbursed for healthcare that is a) publicly-funded, and b) available in Ireland and is in line with Irish legislation.
The kinds of healthcare that would be covered under this scheme would include acute and psychiatric hospital services; dental and orthodontics; and speech and language.
The NAGP has stated that the Directive has the potential to “significantly reduce waiting times” for day, inpatient and outpatient care in Ireland and “ensure patients are seen sooner”.
Ireland has one of the longest waiting lists for access to specialist aoppintments in Europe and has the worst waiting lists for access to Accident and Emergency departments in hospitals.
There’s also a mystery around what the exact waiting-list numbers are, after it was revealed that the number of people on the inpatient waiting list was only a fraction of the real figure, as there are at least two other waiting lists not published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund, which monitors the figures.
Dr Emmet Kerin of the NAGP explained the move.
“Feedback from our members has highlighted the considerable lack of awareness among GPs and patients that they have the right to seek healthcare in another EU country,” he said.
“This has resulted in relatively low levels of uptake.
The Directive, while not an ideal solution to the issues in our health system, has the potential to alleviate the pressure on hospitals and cut waiting times.
The NAGP will, in the best interests of patients, proactively highlight the Cross Border Healthcare Directive to our members.
The planned information drive was agreed upon at a meeting of the National Council in Dublin yesterday.
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He probably just wanted a day out…..i hope his real owners get him home.He is a lovely little dude.
@Josephine Carroll: the best boi found its owner after all
@Josephine Carroll: He should be chipped already.Hope the owners are fined for breaking the law.Shame on them.
WRONG
They should bring him back to Sallins and see if he can find his way home before they give him to anyone else.
It’d be great if he got back to his actual owners (and if he’s not microchipped give the owners a clatter).
Seriously though, if you have a dog get it microchipped AND make sure to activate / register the microchip (you have to do this yourself online. It’s not usually done at the vets).
@Sean Ryan: Got our new puppy chipped last week in The Pet Hospital in Waterford. Vet registered it for me just a little shout out. Very nice man.
Dogs are fu*king awesome I wonder will he have to pay the fine for no ticket.
@Hardly Normal: I know he was collared but that would be ruff…
@jamesdecay: who’s a funny boy then , who’s a funny boy..
@Hardly Normal: hands up. It was awful. No walkies for me today…
@jamesdecay: Dog loves a trier ;)
The littlest Hobo
So cute.
What a cutie. He looks as though he has a lovely nature.
I hope everyone saying they’ll take him realise there’s hundreds of other dogs without homes in shelters. Maybe if everyone took one of them each
@Deirdre: exactly
Love those curly ears! Well done Ted Maher for keeping him safe. Hope you make it home ‘Hamish! Dogs rule :-)
Who tries to claim a dog that isn’t theirs? How thoughtless and selfish.
@Ed: seems that way from the headline, but from the article it seems as if they meant it was people offering a home, rather than claiming to be his owner
@Donogh O’Laighin:
Noticed that myself – sloppy headline alright!
Lovely dog, I would take him if the real owner wasn’t found.
A worthy celebrity at last! Can’t wait for his Instagram account to be set up
Should’ve called him Rover
@Anna Porter: what about Doggy McDogface?
@Anna Porter: ChooChoo, Thomas or even Bertie
@Anna Porter: Should’ve had him chipped as a puppy(it’s the law) then there would have been no problem finding his “loving/caring owners.
Plenty of people willing to take him in. If you really want to adopt a dog/cat just go to your local rescue centre.
They should make a Roddy Doyle film about it not written by Roddy Doyle.
Ted works in My Lovely Horse Rescue??? Talk about being made for a job.
Well that’s made my day, preferred ‘Hamish’ though!
Had a dog as a kid that would follow us to the local shop. However if a bus stopped along the way, she would hop on the bus and get off at the shops. The first time she did it, us kids galloped after the bus screaming only to find her sitting outside the shops. We just let her do her thing after that :D
Barry Kenny i will take him if you can’t find the real owner & he will be well looked after, my own dog died after 16yrs.
Fare dodger!
Should’ve called him Rover
Oh no! Hope he goes to his real owner! A photo shouldn’t have been put up for all to see.
Well done My Lovely Horse Rescue volunteers & Iarnróid Éireann!!! Great end to a lovely story.
Would make a better book than pigs around Howth!
Thank God he was found … no way to conduct himself … could have ended up on the wrong side if the tracks … I’ll get my coat
This is what happens if you don’t train your dog
Lassie ….come home
Microchip your fecking dogs
casey jones reincarnated
Slow news day
Had A collie 25 years ago I got him from dalkey, someone did not want him. He was well known in donnybrook cie station as he used to hop on and off busses and make his way home, anytime I took him out for a walk. Eventually had to keep him on the lead so he could not go off again. I had a disk on his collar the drivers in the station used to call me and say , hes here again. Eventually he stopped and i had him for 13 years before he passed away . This dog is like Paddington bear, travels to
Not chipped myself, don’t see why my dog should be.
@Gerry Quinn: In all due respect? Cannot you see the wood from the trees??
We my partner and I have three collies and two cats
They are all like family. We dote on them!
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