*Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF). Photograph: Eamon Ward
AN ENNIS breast cancer survivor has made an emotional plea for the HSE to issue patients with “critical illnesses” to be allocated a medical card.
Deputy Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) in a proposal before Clare County Council called on the HSE to revise “its current policy for granting medical cards to patients diagnosed with critical illnesses. These patients should have access to a fast-track system to ensure that medical cards are issued without unnecessary delays”.
She explained, “Waiting weeks or even months for medical cards places undue stress on individuals and their families during an already challenging time. A streamlined and efficient process must be implemented to prioritise and expedite medical card approvals for critically ill patients, ensuring they receive timely access to essential medical care and support”.
Speaking at the December meeting of the Council, Cllr Baker Bashua recalled, “I had breast cancer ten years ago, I had to apply for a medical card because we couldn’t afford not to have it, it took the best part of four months to get it”. She said they were paying €127 daily for chemotherapy treatment, “I had to pay for my wig and everything, the stress alone is horrendous and when dealing with a critical illness the stress is the last thing you need”.
Giving an emotional and inspirational address, the Hermitage woman said Sláinte an Chláir has been looking at these difficulties “for a long time. I saw recently the Irish Cancer Society put it on their manifesto for the Government, it is shocking that ten years on we haven’t something in place”.
A fast-track system needs to be introduced to allow patients with such illnesses secure a medical card over a period of six weeks. “When you’ve unexpected bills, the least stressful thing you have to worry about is your health, I implore the Department of Health to look at this”.
There should be a sense of mortification at how the most vulnerable have been treated, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) remarked. “We spoke about lived experiences, here we are listening to what Antoinette Baker Bashua has gone through, we’re aware of the difficulties people have with getting diagnoses for long-term illnesses and the hoops they have gone through, you should not have to incur the expense”. Speaking to her fellow Ennis councillor, she said, “you’re a brave girl and we’re honoured to have you here with us”.
Support was also issued by Cllr Paul Murphy (FG). “The lived experience really resonates with us and gives an experience of the emotional roller coaster that people go through”. Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) congratulated Antoinette on her recovery, “it was very brave of you to come and say it”. He added, “How we treat people is unreal, every one of us is vulnerable to getting an illness. A woman told me, ‘I’m not sure can I afford to get better but I can’t afford to die’. I’m glad Antoinette Baker Bashua is okay, I hope our new Government will listen, with €30bn coming from Apple surely to God we can sort this”.
Newly elected TDs need to be canvassed on the issue, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) maintained. “You can hear the emotion and it is very strong, the important point of the motion is to stream line this and a process must be identified. Anybody that has been diagnosed with a critical illness should have access to medical care”.
Policies are failing to think of people, Cllr David Griffin (FF) stated, “it is times like this when you realise how inhumane our public services can be. There are times you think where is the humanity with the people making the decisions and the policies behind it”. Such a request allowing with the disability allowance and carers allowance getting means tested “within reason” need to be prioritised by the next Government, he said.
Admiration was also echoed by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF). “It is very hard to speak about yourself, it is much easier to speak in the third person, the common denominator is trying to improve the healthcare we provide for our people”. She said Fianna Fáil councillors have suggested creating a list of tasks for the county’s four TDs following on from their election. A constituent outside Ennis had “a terrible experience” whereby they had been granted a medical card, had it taken away and then encountered and “unconscionable delay”.
Technology in the modern day where finances and revenue “is all there in black and white” should make the request manageable, commented Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) who added, “we’re in a critical time of forming a Government, a Programme for Government needs to be discussed, this should be top of the agenda”. Cllr Michael Begley (IND) suggested including “proper detail” to “avoid convoluted policies” when these negotiations are ongoing.
Reacting to the experience of his colleague, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) said, “this is something that is abhorrent and I’m shocked by it. It is stressful enough to go through the fight and to be able to keep going”.
Centralisation of power “away from us all has done damage for us all and the people we represent,” affirmed Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), “people at their worst time needs the support. There is no humanity in the system anymore, you are just a number”.
According to Cllr John Crowe (FG), “This is absolutely a scandal, people applying for medical cards and the slightest little thing and it is sent back, there’s appeals going on and on, people are suffering, this is crazy”. Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) said, “the health system is fantastic once you get into it, the problem is getting into the system, the difficulty is the paperwork and secretarial side of it, we need to expedite approval”.
Councillors in Clare need to speak up at grassroots level, urged Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF), “These issues ye are bringing up are as a result of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael policies, as grassroot members push harder to create change, I would implore you to create change because your parties have become stagnant to creating change so people like my comrade Antoinette Baker Bashua don’t have to go through this”.
Guilfoyle’s contribution was acknowledged by Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG), “there is an onus on all of us to improve the situation, it is interesting that a number of the notice of motions are on basic needs”.
Concluding the discussion, Antoinette said, “they have taken the human side of it, the computer says no and they send out a generic email, I’m not alone, I’m one of 3,000 or 4,000 that have been diagnosed”. She added, “A fast-track system has worked really well and was welcomed by the people coming in that need it, it is very rare that people would look for a medical card if they didn’t need it”.
