Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from the Republic of Ireland had operations in the United Kingdom paid for by the Irish Department of Health in each of the last three years; and how many of these were transplant operations. [22538]
§ Ms JowellUnder European Community Social Security Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72 there were 263 (1994), 225 (1995) and 199 (1996) patient referrals to National Health Service hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales, from the Republic of Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland participates in the same organ sharing scheme as the United Kingdom. Data from the UK Transplant Support Service Authority show there were 3 (1994), 8 (1995) and 17 (1996) residents of the Republic of Ireland who had solid organ transplants carried out in hospitals in the UK.
Information from the Hospital Episode Statistics for England shows there were 204 (1993–94), 218 (1994–95) and 216 (1995–96) finished consultant episodes, in which an operation or procedure was recorded and where the patient's address was shown to be within the Irish Republic. These figures include patients who paid privately for their treatment in NHS hospitals. Information about residents of the Irish Republic who had operations carried out in NHS hospitals in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland would be for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.