Ombudsman reversed refusal of medical card to heart patient

THE Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, yesterday published a digest of 12 complaints referred to her for examination by public representatives.

The complaints and their outcomes are detailed fully in the report and include the reversal of a refusal by the HSE of a medical card to a teenage heart patient. Another case involved the payment of taxi bills for hospital visits for a patient awaiting surgery.

The publication, which was launched by Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue, coincided with a briefing hosted by her office for members of the Oireachtas and their staff.

Describing the cases as a “representative sample about everyday bread-and-butter issues”, Ms O’Reilly said the digest report summarises the “beneficial and meaningful” outcomes achieved in the case of 12 complaints referred to her by public representatives.

Other decisions include:

* €14,200 pension/benefit arrears paid. Department reverses decision not to grant Old Age Pension.

* €21,700 reduction in sale price of house under Tenant Purchase Scheme.

* Decision not to grant nursing home subvention (€203 weekly) reversed.

* €6,990 early retirement farming pension repayment written off.

* Disabled person gets decision refusing central heating grant reversed.

* Single farm payment upped by €4,100 yearly.

The digest launch is part of an initiative by the ombudsman to extend the outreach programme of her office.

Conceding there was general confusion regarding her role on complaints about public hospitals and various HSE service providers, Ms O’Reilly said: “While we cannot deal with complaints involving clinical judgment, we can deal with complaints on the delivery of care to patients, involving all public hospitals and other service providers.”