Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to assist and advise all British ex-servicemen resident in the Republic of Ireland on financial support for medicines and medical aftercare.

Ben Gummer

Neither the Department nor the National Health Service commissions or provides medicine or medical aftercare for veterans in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).

However, all veterans who reside overseas and are in receipt of a United Kingdom war pension, a war widows’ pension or armed forces compensation scheme payments plus their spouse/civil partner and children (under 18) are entitled to receive free healthcare from the NHS in the UK.

All UK Veterans residing in the ROI are able to access the UK Ministry of Defence Veterans UK website and helpline and the Veteran Welfare Service for any additional support. Veterans UK may meet the cost of treatment for accepted war pension condition(s) provided the treatment is:

– clinically necessary for a disability due to service; and

– not available free of charge through the health system in the country of residence.

The Ministry of Defence has a contract with Leopardstown Park Hospital Trust in Dublin that provides, through the hospital, facilities for the short and long-term care of former UK service personnel and their spouses, who are resident in the ROI and can also provide financial assistance to those who have been disabled or invalided as a result of service with the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.