HSE reforms ’to end medical card delays’

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has suggested a newly-formed independent HSE group tasked with further detailing medical card reforms will make more discretionary support available to the people who need it most.

He was speaking after the family of 16-month-old toddler Ryan Gilmartin, who has Down Syndrome and a host of other conditions, revealed they are still waiting for help three months after Taoiseach Enda Kenny personally intervened on their behalf.

During the latest Oireachtas health committee meeting yesterday, Mr Varadkar was put under pressure from opposition TDs to explain why young children in dire need of support are still "falling through the cracks".

An Irish Examiner report revealed Ryan has already been turned down for help three times and has been left in limbo since Mr Kenny's attempted intervention last November.

As the toddler handed health committee chair Jerry Buttimer a 65,000-strong petition calling for reforms to be fast-tracked, Fianna Fáil health spokesman Billy Kelleher said too many vulnerable families are still losing out.

The Cork North Central TD said it was not acceptable for families like the Gilmartins to continue to struggle with a personal crisis that, despite reforms, continues to affect them.

However, insisting the issues are being addressed, Mr Varadkar said action was being taken and access to discretionary medical cards will be further improved over the coming months by the HSE's 12-strong independent medical card clinical advisory group, which includes doctors and patient representatives.

"I think that will encompass more very sick children in particular but I don't want to pre-judge the outcome of their determinations," the Health minister said.

While Mr Varadkar said he was aware of the difficulties involved, he added that "sometimes the suite of supports given to somebody like a doctor's visit card; like a long term illness card; like aids and appliances; can actually be greater than the medial card that they may be seeking. Often that is not understood."

Reacting to the comments, Mr Kelleher said it was time for people in need to be given the care they deserve.

Pointing to the Government's free under-six GP care plan, he alleged the reason some medical card issues persist is because the coalition prefers to look after the children of "wealthy" families.

"There are many cases like the Gilmartins who are still consistently falling through the cracks and this family needs support.

"You can try and dress that up and spin it any way you like but that [free under-six GP care] is why Ryan Gilmartin was outside the gates of Dáil Eireann this morning – a cold February morning, having had to travel from Mayo.

“It is for no other reason other than the fact that you had prioritised healthy children of wealthy people over a child that needs the support of the State and deserves the support of the State," the opposition TD said.

The comments came after Ryan and his parents Nichola and Chris travelled from their home in Ballina, Co Mayo, to hand in an Our Children's Health petition to Mr Buttimer.

The meeting which took place at 9am on the grounds of Leinster House, was also attended by Independent senator and former chief executive of the Children's Rights Alliance Jillian Van Turnhout, and Our Children's Health spokespeople Kevin Shortall and Peter Fitzpatrick.

The HSE's medical card reforms clinical advisory group, which includes Mr Fitzpatrick, is due to meet for the first time next week.

It has been asked to further detail a 10-point reform plan outlined by the Keane report last November, with its first quarterly report on the issue due in three months time.