§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients from the Republic of Ireland have been treated in hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [129817]
§ Angela SmithThe total number admissions classified as an in-patient, day case or regular day/night admission at hospitals in Northern Ireland where the patient was recorded as a resident in the Republic of Ireland is given in the table. Patients may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
The number of deaths and discharges1 in NI hospitals recorded as residents of the Republic of Ireland for the years 1998–99 to 2002–032 In-patient Day cases Regular day admission Regular night admission Total 1998–99 946 340 0 0 1,286 1999–2000 1,000 377 559 0 1,936 2000–01 1,070 604 995 0 2,669 2001–02 1,037 554 850 1 2,442 2002–032 1,170 504 650 0 2,324 1 Deaths and discharges are used as an approximation for admissions. 2 Provisional. Source:
Hospital Inpatients System
Figures for the number of patients treated as outpatients or at accident and emergency departments are not available.
Residents of countries within the European Union are entitled to treatment if they are taken ill while visiting another European Union state. Patients may also be transferred to another country under formal contractual arrangements between individual hospitals or health boards if the treatment required is not available locally. Consequently residents from the Republic of Ireland are sometimes treated in Northern Ireland and vice versa.