Angry councillors lashed out this week at the decision to centralise the processing of medical cards in Dublin and called for its immediate reversal.
Members of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum West, which met this week at Merlin Park Hospital, said removing the service from Galway was an affront to the integrity of the local community welfare officers who previously operated it.
Cllr Catherine Connolly, vice chairperson of the forum, said the staff in Galway city distinguish themselves. She said they dealt with people directly and had respect for them and their rights and entitlements.
She stated a decision was made to move the service to Dublin without giving a reason or explanation.
Afterwards she told this newspaper that the Dublin office was already under “severe strain”.
“The offices in Dublin, where all applications in relation to medical cards for over 70s are handled, is under severe strain with a backlog of over six weeks in processing applications/queries.To add 85,000 extra medical card owners from Galway city and county alone on an already burdened system in Dublin beggars belief.
“In contrast, the service provided by Community Care staff in Galway in Shantalla has been second to none. All queries/applications re medical cards are processed not only in a very speedy and efficient manner but also in a very human way. Staff in the medical card section have always been more than willing and available to advise ordinary people re their entitlement to a medical card and or answer any of their queries.”
HSE West staff review about 1500 medical cards in Galway every month, she said. “In addition due to the current economic downturn they also process on a monthly basis an additional 1,000 new applications. To destroy such an excellent service in Galway and move it to an already over-burdened office in Dublin is nothing short of mind-numbing stupidity. It is also a complete denigration of the service provided to date in Shantalla and simply makes no sense.”
Cllr Colm Keaveney (Tuam ) told the forum meeting that the suggestion that the processing of medical cards needs to be centralised is an “affront to the integrity” of community welfare officers. He said they were “fair and objective” and were dealing with people at the coalface. He described the decision to shift the service as a “cost saving exercise”.
Human contact was being taken away and medical card applicants were being asked to engage with a digital system, he said. He feared there would be no human side to the service and claimed fairness and discretion will “go”.
Cllr Michael Mullins (B/sloe ) said the decision was an “utter disgrace” and was a “serious slur on the integrity and efficiency” of staff hired by the HSE West.
“We’ve a system which is working perfectly well. It is efficient, good and meets people’s needs. This is a retrograde step. We’ve a responsibility to ensure the most vulnerable in society are looked after. We need to stick together. The person who made this decision should be fired.”
Forum chairperson Cllr Tomas Mannion (B/sloe ) decribed the move as a “backward step” which must be fought.
Dr Sean Conroy, the director of the HSE West’s regional health forum, said the decision had struck a nerve with all members.
“One senses from what you are saying you have faith in the current system and want information on how the decision was made. What you said is heard very loudly and will be communicated very clearly to the CEO [of the HSE].”
In a written statement the HSE West outlined that under the HSE 2009 service plan it was agreed that the processing of medical card applications will be centralised.
“This will allow the application process to be standardised and streamlined. There are no plans to close any of the local offices that currently process medical card applications. However, the process will involve the reassignment of existing human resources within the HSE. In this regard, discussions have commenced with IMPACT and SIPTU under agreed arrangements and these discussions are ongoing.”
