S.I. No. 277/1971 - Health Services (Amendment) Regulations, 1971.

S.I. No. 277 of 1971.

HEALTH SERVICES (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1971.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 5 of the Health Act, 1947 (No. 28 of 1947) and by sections 52 , 53 , 56 , 59 and 72 of the Health Act, 1970 (No. 1 of 1970), hereby makes the following Regulations:—

1 Citation.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health Services (Amendment) Regulations, 1971.

2 Definitions.

2. In these Regulations—

"the Act" means the Health Act, 1970 .

3 Commencement.

3. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1st day of October, 1971.

4 Revocation.

4. (1) The General Institutional and Specialist Services Regulations, 1954 ( S.I. No. 100 of 1954 ) in so far as not already revoked are hereby revoked.

(2) Article 8 of the Health Services Regulations, 1971 ( S.I. No. 105 of 1971 ) is hereby revoked.

5 Charges for in-patient services.

5. (1) Charges may be made for in-patient services provided under section 52 of the Act for persons referred to in section 46 (8) of the Act.

(2) A charge made under subarticle (1) shall be at such rate not exceeding three pounds as may be determined by the chief executive officer of the health board in respect of each day during which in-patient services are availed of.

6 Diseases prescribed for the purposes of section 52 (2).

6. The following diseases and disabilities are hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 52 (2) of the Act: mental handicap, mental illness, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, haemophilia and cerebral palsy.

7 Diseases prescribed for the purposes of section 56 (3).

7. The following diseases and disabilities are hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 56 (3) of the Act: mental handicap, mental illness, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, haemophilia and cerebral palsy.

8 Diseases prescribed for the purposes of section 59 (3).

8. The following diseases and disabilities are hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 59 (3) of the Act: mental handicap, mental illness, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus and epilepsy.

9 Limitation on the application of section 59 (3).

9. Arrangements for the supply of drugs and medicines to persons suffering from mental illness in pursuance of section 59 (3) of the Act shall be made only in respect of persons under the age of 16 years.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this 27th

day of September, 1971.

ERSKINE CHILDERS,

Minister for Health.

The Minister for Finance consents to these Regulations.

DATED this 27th day of September, 1971.

SEOIRSE Ó COLLA,

Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for the removal of the charge of up to 50p per day for in-patient hospital treatment in respect of persons with limited eligibility and they impose a new maximum charge of £3 for persons normally in the upper income group who are deemed to be persons with limited eligibility on hardship grounds.

The Regulations also prescribe the diseases and disabilities for free in-patient and out-patient treatment for children and for free drugs, medicines, etc. for adults irrespective of income.

The Regulations revoke provisions of the General Institutional and Specialist Services Regulations, 1954 which related to appeals as to entitlement to certain health services and which are now obsolete.