HSE finally agrees to fund overseas epilepsy treatment for Gráinne

The HSE has finally agreed to fund overseas treatment for a woman with life-threatening epilepsy who could not access the appropriate treatment in Ireland.

In a bizarre letter, the HSE told Gráinne O’Connor 27 that even though she failed to meet the criteria for funding under their treatment abroad scheme (TAS), they were going to fund her treatment abroad anyway.

In addition, the office that administers their TAS would also do the administrative work in her case.

The letter from Pat O’Dowd, HSE assistant national director, stated that Ms O’Connor’s case was a “once-off funding arrangement — outside the parameters of the treatment abroad scheme”.

In fact, Mr O’Dowd began his letter to Ms O’Connor with bad news after reviewing her case, saying: “I regret to inform you that the decision to decline your application was correct and is upheld. Your application and subsequent appeal do not meet the criteria of the TAS as previously outlined.”

However, having considered Ms O’Connor’s “specific clinical circumstances”, Mr O’Dowd said the HSE was prepared to fund the cost of video EEG monitoring at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London.

Ms O’Connor, who has poorly controlled epilepsy, is considered a likely suitable candidate for surgery by her consultant neurologist. However, she could not get the required monitoring here because funding shortages have kept the two epilepsy monitoring units in Cork University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, closed.

Despite these closures, the HSE had told Ms O’Connor, from Shanagarry, Midleton, Co Cork, to “seek the appropriate services in Beaumont”. Her initial appeal was refused on the grounds it arrived outside deadline despite being delayed in the Christmas postal rush.