The Consultative Council on Hepatitis C was established by the Minister for Health and Children on the 26th of November 1996 by Statutory Instrument, to advise on all matters relating to Hepatitis C. One of the main functions of the Council is the dissemination of information regarding entitlements to certain health services, information on living with Hepatitis C as well as details on all Council activities and events.
Services for Persons Who contracted Hepatitis C
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 others 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 it 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.
Further Information on the Council
The I.H.S. is represented on the Consultative Council by Debbie Greene and Brian O’Mahony.
Further information can be found in the HSE’s 2020 Guidebook which can be downloaded by clicking here. More information can also be found here.
The Consultative Council on Hepatitis C is currently working on a new website. This page will be updated once that website is live.
Contact details for the Consultative Council on Hepatitis C are as follows:
Ms. Ger Kane,
Chairperson,
Consultative Council on Hepatitis C,
Health Service Executive,
2nd Floor,
Mill Lane,
Palmerstown,
Dublin 20,
Ph. 01 620 1708