‘Significant’ delay in HSE report could stall medical card changes for terminal patients

Handover documents from the former health minister Simon Harris to the new minister Stephen Donnelly cited Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for the delay, but campaigners say changes need to happen 'sooner rather than later'. Picture: Julien Behal

A “significant” delay in recommendations on how people with a terminal illness can access medical cards could be stalled by up to a year unless a HSE Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) report is published before the upcoming budget in October.

Campaigner and patient advocate John Wall has questioned the “hold-up” in completing the CAG report on medical cards for patients with a terminal illness, which was due for completion in February.

Documents from the former health minister Simon Harris to the new minister Stephen Donnelly cited the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for the delay, but Mr Wall said the changes needed to happen “sooner rather than later”.

“This delay is quite significant at this stage. If we don’t have something prior to the budget we’re looking at possibly another 8-12 months and in the meantime many people who are struggling will be dead. 

"That's the harsh reality of a terminal diagnosis,” Mr Wall said.

'Damning indictment'

Mr Wall, who has terminal prostate cancer, briefed the CAG in January on the need to extend the current 12-month prognosis threshold to 24 months and end the need to review and means-test medical cards every six months. There have been cases where medical cards were approved after a patient dies, he said, describing such incidents as a “damning indictment” of the system.

The proposed changes, he said, would represent a “very realistic first step” towards easing the burden and “red tape” for patients living with a terminal illness.

“It makes it easier from the clinician's point of view and much easier for those at the latter stages to access a medical card without having to justify their condition or their means,” Mr Wall explained.

“This is about how the State treats people with a terminal diagnosis, that’s all,” he added.

The proposed changes secured cross-party support and it was now a question of implementing and delivering on commitments, he said.

“It's in the programme for government and the current budget and it’s a question of whether they are serious about its implementation or not,” Mr Wall said.

If needs be, I'll camp outside Kildare Street at this stage. If that’s what it takes that’s what I’m going to do. 

"It's coming to crunch time, the longer we leave this the more people that die without getting access to a medical card,” he added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health confirmed that the CAG report has been completed and is currently being considered by the Department.