Number travelling cross-border for healthcare hits record high

More than 3,500 people travelled abroad for treatment last year under a scheme that gives waiting list patients more options, but Northern Ireland, where the majority travel, could be closed off post-Brexit.

Figures released by the HSE to Fianna Fáil TD Michael McGrath show the popularity of the EU Cross Border Directive (CBD) scheme has grown exponentially since its introduction in Ireland in 2014.