Services for people who contracted Hepatitis C through the administration of Blood or Blood products within Ireland.
How do I know if I am eligible for these services?
If you contracted Hepatitis C from the administration within Ireland of blood or blood products and have a positive diagnostic test, you are entitled to a range of services including public in-patient and out-patient hospital services, GP services, all prescribed drugs, medicines and appliances, dental and ophthalmic services, home help, home nursing, counselling services and other services without charge. If you are eligible, the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer in your HSE area will arrange to issue you with a Health (Amendment) Act Card (HAA Card), which will make it easier for you to access these services.
A HAA Card is not the same as a Medical Card. The HAA Card is personal to the individual cardholder and does not cover family members (except in the case of access to counselling services). You should bring your card with you when availing of services.
Summary of Entitlements
Services outside the Hospital setting:
- GP Services
- Prescribed drugs, medicines, aids and appliances
- Dental services
- Ophthalmic services
- Aural services
- Home support services
- Home nursing
- Counselling services
- A range of other services, such as chiropody/podiatry, and physiotherapy
Hospital Services
In-patient and out-patient specialist services in the Liver Units of the public hospitals listed below, plus other in-patient and out-patient services in public hospitals.
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 Tel 01 809 3000
Mater Misercordiae University Hospital, Dublin 7 Tel 01 803 2048
St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8 Tel 01 410 3417
St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4 Tel 01 221 4248
Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12 Tel 01 428 2527
St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny Tel 056 778 5308
Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork Tel 021 492 0044
University College Hospital, Galway Tel 091 54 43 70
Further details are available from the Hepatitis C Booklet which can be sourced through your Liaison Officer
Hepatitis C Liaison Officers
In each of the HSE areas, there is a designated Hepatitis C Liaison Officer whose role is to ensure that persons who have contracted hepatitis C from the administration of blood and blood products within the state receives the primary care services they are entitled to under the terms of the 1996 Act.
There are also dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialists in each of the liver units of the eight designated hospitals whose role is to ensure that services are delivered in the hospital setting under the terms of the 1996 Act. An Information Guide to Services for those who are entitled to services and who hold a HAA card is available from the designated Hepatitis C Liaison Officer in your area and also from the Consultative Council on Hepatitis C website. The Consultative Council on Hepatitis C is a statutory body set up by the Minister for Health to advise and make recommendations on all aspects of Hepatitis C in relation to those who were infected through administration within the State of blood and blood products. You will also find other useful information in relation to the HAA cardholders entitlements and some general information on the hepatitis C virus on the website.
Should you have any enquiries in relation to entitlements or otherwise, please contact the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer in your area as follows.
National Coordinator Hepatitis C Services: Ger Kane, HSE Mill Lane, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 Tel 01 7785163 email ger.kane@hse.ie
Hepatitis C Liaison Officers
Dublin North West/ Dublin North/ Dublin North Central and Cavan, Louth , Meath & Monaghan
Mr Larry Bathe, Primary Care Unit, Railway Street, Navan, Co Meath Tel: (046) 9076451 larry.bathe@hse.ie
Dublin South West/ Dublin West
Mary Dawson Hep C Liaison Officer, HSE Mill Lane, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 Tel 01 7785156 email Mary.dawson@hse.ie
Diane Hutchison Dublin South East/Dun Laoghaire/Bray/Wicklow and Dublin South/ Kildare & West Wicklow Tel: 01 7785159
Laois, Longford, Offaly/Westmeath
Ms Elaine Barry, Primary Care Unit, Health Service Executive, St. Loman's, Springfield, Mullingar, Co Westmeath Tel (044) 938 4429 Email ElaineM.Barry@hse.ie
Clare/Limerick/Tipperary North
Ms Shuin Morrissey, HSE West, Tyone Health Centre, Tyone, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Tel (067) 46449 Email Shuin.Morrissey@hse.ie
Leitrim/Sligo/Donegal
Ms. Paula Forrest, 1st floor County Clinic, St Conal's Hospital, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Tel (074) 9109129 Email paula.forrest@hse.ie
Galway/Mayo/Roscommon
Mr. Richard Broderick, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway Tel (091) 775416 Email richard.broderick@hse.ie
Carlow/Kilkenny/Tipperary South/Waterford/Wexford
Linda Knox Primary Care Unit, Health Service Executive, Lacken Road, Kilkenny, Tel 056 7784101 Email linda.knox@hse.ie
Cork/Kerry
Michael Butler HSE-South, Floor 3, Block 15, St. Finbarr's Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork. T12 XH60, Tel 021 4923833 Email michael.butler@hse.ie
Support Groups
Some of the main patient support groups involved in providing support and assistance to those who were infected through administration within the State of blood and blood products are as follows. Each perform a vital role as advocates for their members and are represented on the Consultative Council on Hepatitis C as well as a number of HSE working groups/forums.
Transfusion Positive
Fitzwilliam Business Centre
26 Upper Pembroke Street
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01 2343740
Email: transfusionpositive@eircom.net
Website: www.transfusionpositive.ie
Transfusion Positive provides support to those men, women and children (and their families ) who contracted Hepatitis C through blood transfusions
Irish Haemophilia Society
1st Floor Cathedral Court
New Street
Dublin 8
Tel 01 6579900
The Irish Haemophilia Society provides support to people with haemophilia (and their families ) and also to those who have contracted hepatitis Cand HIV through contaminated products.
Irish Kidney Association
Donor House
Block 43A
Park West
Dublin 12
Tel 01 6205306
The Irish Kidney Association provides support to people with kidney problems who are either on dialysis or are organ recipients and have contracted hepatitis C.
