Sir, – In reply to a letter published on June 21st, I wish to clarify that a GP from Ireland can indeed refer a patient to a hospital consultant in Northern Ireland and they can receive their treatment there if they so choose. Currently, under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive, an EU/EEA resident can be referred by their GP anywhere in the EU/EEA for healthcare, pay for it, and can claim medical costs back from their home state (the HSE in this case). When Brexit occurred and the UK left the EU, the Irish Government continued this arrangement with Northern Ireland through the “Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare”. An Irish GP can indeed refer patients to any hospital in the EU/EEA and Northern Ireland. – Yours, etc,
AONGHUS O’ROURKE,
Trasna,
Dublin 2.