- Sligo patients using the EU Cross Border Directive for surgery in Spain are being offered free flights and hotel accommodation
- The arrangement aims to ease access to treatment abroad for those on waiting lists
- Medinet Ireland has established a private fund to cover travel logistics
- Patients need a GP referral letter or HSE waiting list letter
- High demand exists for endometriosis surgeries in Spain
A new initiative by healthcare concierge company Medinet Ireland is offering free flights and hotel accommodation for Sligo patients travelling to Spain for medical operations. While the HSE Cross Border Directive allows Irish residents to have surgical and medical treatment costs reimbursed by the state, travel and lodging expenses are traditionally excluded. Medinet Ireland has established a private fund to cover these travel logistics.
Patients need either a GP referral letter for surgery or a formal HSE waiting list letter. The core medical treatment is funded via the EU Cross Border Directive, meaning patients receive healthcare in private Spanish hospitals and later claim 100pc reimbursement on clinical costs from the HSE. Medinet provides complimentary flights, hotel accommodation, airport collection and ground transport to and from medical appointments.
There has been particularly high demand for this pathway among Sligo women accessing specialised endometriosis surgeries under experts in Spain. The setup allows patients bypassed by lengthy local waitlists to receive immediate private care abroad.
