You have the right of appeal if you are not satisfied with decisions taken by personnel of the HSE relating to applications for specified services and entitlements e.g.: Medical Cards, GP Visit Cards, Nursing Home Subvention, Nursing Home Support Scheme (Fair Deal), Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Miscellaneous Allowances and Long Stay Hospital Charges.

Unhappy with a decision?

If you are unhappy with a decision made by the HSE concerning your entitlement to a Medical Card, GP Visit Cards, Nursing Home Subvention, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Long Stay Hospital Charges and  Miscellaneous Allowances, e.g., Blind Welfare Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance,(for applications made before 2009) you have the right of appeal to the HSE Appeals Officer.

The Appeals Officer will review the original decision and decide if it was made in line with current legislation, regulation and guidelines.

How do I appeal?

You can appeal by:

• writing a letter,
• sending an email or
• by filling an Appeals Form. Appeals Forms can be obtained at your local Health Centre, HSE Office or Citizents Information Centre. You may feel that you have a good grounds for appeal or that there are special circumstances about your claim that should have been considered. 

NOTE: The important thing is that you set out your case fully. You must set out clearly the facts which you intend to rely on.

If you are unsure how to do this, you should seek help from a HSE Staff member or from the Citizens Information Centre or similar organisations.

Please note: If you wish to appeal a decision made regarding Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Long Stay Hospital Charges, a Medical Card, GP Visit Card or a Miscellaneous Allowance you have 21 days from the date of the decision to lodge the appeal.

If you wish to appeal a decision made on a claim for Nursing Home Subvention , you have 60 days from the date of the decision to lodge the appeal.

If you wish to appeal a decision made on a claim under the Nursing Homes Suport Scheme - Fair Deal you have 40 working days.

For other HSE schemes there is no specified time for submission of an appeal, however it should be submitted withing 21 days.

What happens with my appeal?

When your appeal is received in the Appeals Office, an acknowledgement will be sent to you.  The Appeals Officer must then request the file and a report regarding the decision from the relevant HSE section, for example, Community Welfare, Medical Card Section,  Nursing Home Subvention Unit etc. the relevant section may then revise the decision at this stage in light of new evidence presented. If however, the decision remains unchanged, on receipt of the requested file and report, the Appeals Officer will look at all the relevant information and they will then decide wheter the original decision was reasonable or not, bearing in mind legislation and guidelines.

The Appeals Officer may also seek further information and may speak to you in person to gain as much information on the ciurcumstances as possible.  They may then agree with the original decision, or change the decision in your favour.  In either case, you will be informed in writing.  If there is to be any change as a result of this decision, then the appropriate HSE Section will be informed and asked to take the necessary action.

Other Information

• You do not have to pay anything to make an appeal.
• A personal interview will be held if considered necessary by the Appeals Officer.

I’m still not happy

In the case of Basic Supplementary Welfare payments or supplements, for example, Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement, if you are still unhappy with the decision you have the right of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer in the Department of Social Protection.  You should set out your appeal in writing and send it to the Appeals Officer in the HSE Area, who will send it on your behalf to the:

• Chief Appeals Officer, Department of Social Protection, D’Olier House, D’Olier Street, Dublin 2.

Important Note: You should note that the right of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer only applies to cases concerning Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance payments and Supplements such a Mortgage Interest, Rent and Diet.