‘Horrifying’ Republic of Ireland health reimbursement scheme set to end in June
Video report and words by Peter Moor:
A father of six has said it is ‘horrifying’ that a scheme which allowed him to bypass a four year long waiting list is coming to an end.
Shane O’Faoláin used the Republic of Ireland Reimbursement Scheme to receive his life-changing spinal surgery at a private hospital in Dublin within just a few months of applying.
The ROI Scheme was introduced in June 2021 as part of a plan to reduce Northern Ireland's ever growing waiting lists.
It allows people to seek treatment in the Republic of Ireland with the price of the procedure being introduced by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health.
However, the scheme is set to come to a close at the end of June 2022 - a decision which Shane says “doesn’t make sense at all.”
WATCH: Shane O’Faoláin speaks to UTV about the need for the ROI Scheme to be continued:
“If it wasn’t for the scheme, I don’t actually know where I would be mentally because it was like looking into a black hole that there was no end to,” said Shane, who needed surgery for a herniated disc in his lower spine.
“I didn’t know how I was going to go on with life because the pain was that bad.
“The condition would be getting gradually worse and the risk was everything above that disc would then go like a deck of cards and lead to a larger surgery and a lot more problems,” Shane explained.
How many people are waiting for treatment in Northern Ireland?
Over 120,000 people, like Shane was, are waiting to be admitted to hospitals in Northern Ireland for an inpatient procedure or day case, according to the latest Department of Health figures.
With the coronavirus pandemic, that figure has increased by almost 15% since the previous year.
Almost three fifths of those waiting for treatment have been on a waiting list for over 52 weeks, despite targets stating that no one should wait over a year.
How has the ROI Scheme helped?
Since it was introduced under the Elective Care Framework, the ROI Scheme has helped some people like Shane to come off waiting lists.
540 people have completed treatment under the scheme as of the end of February 2022, with over £3 million spent in reimbursing patients for the cost of treatment, according to data released by the Health and Social Care Board.
An ever greater number are in the process of using the scheme with 2,151 applications having been made so far to the scheme.
Common treatments include orthopaedic surgery, such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and hernia repairs, according to the HSCB.
A version of the scheme was also available before the UK left the European Union with people from Northern Ireland being able travel across the EU for the scheme.
With the re-introduction of the scheme, private hospitals in the Republic of Ireland say they have been left ‘inundated.’
"When the scheme first came online, demand was relatively small but it's just grown exponentially since then," said Mr Michael Leonard, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Mater Private Hospital.
"People are hearing about this and flooding down," he told UTV.
WATCH: Mr Michael Leonard speaking to UTV:
"Unfortunately, with the way waiting lists are in Northern Ireland, people understandably have to got to the point where they are losing hope about their future because they're in chronic pain.
Shane says that the whole process of receiving surgery in the Republic of Ireland ‘was just unbelievable.’
“I arranged an appointment. It was all very straightforward and booked me in within a matter of weeks, he said.
“Work, sleep, everything is back to normal.”
Speaking about the number of people on waiting lists, Shane said that they are “looking down the same black hole” that he was.
“The fact that’s going to be taken away at the end of June doesn’t make sense at all.”
Responding to criticism that the scheme is set to end in June 2022, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said:
“The Health Minister had requested that during the 12 month period of the scheme a full policy review and consultation on a longer term solution is taken forward by the Department.
“That work is currently ongoing on final decisions on the future of this or a replacement scheme,” the spokesperson added.