Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme

The Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme (ESAIS) is a scheme to get endometriosis surgery abroad.

It's for patients who are on a public or private waiting list for endometriosis surgery that a consultant gynaecologist in Ireland recommends for them.

The scheme is running while the HSE puts more endometriosis services in place.

How the ESAIS works

For your endometriosis surgery abroad to be covered through the ESAIS:

• you must be eligible to apply for the scheme
• both you and your consultant gynaecologist must follow all steps in the application process
• you'll need to wait for us to approve your application before booking any appointment, surgery or travel

What the scheme covers

Why we ask you to wait before booking

Wait for us to approve your application before you:

• schedule surgery abroad
• book or pay for travel
• book or attend any appointment with a consultant abroad
• have surgery abroad

If you do not wait for us to approve your application, it is likely you will:

• have to cancel any pre-op appointment and surgery you scheduled
• lose money on travel tickets you paid for

This is because we can only approve your application if you and your consultant gynaecologist complete it fully.

You also need to meet all eligibility criteria. This includes choosing a healthcare centre on our list.

Who can apply for the ESAIS

Before you can apply for the ESAIS you must meet all the eligibility criteria.

Residency

You need to live in Ireland.

Endometriosis surgery in Ireland

You must be on a public or private waiting list for endometriosis surgery in Ireland that your consultant gynaecologist recommends for you.

Consultant gynaecologist

You need to have a consultant gynaecologist who works in Ireland.

They must also be either:

• employed by the HSE
• on the Irish Medical Council’s Specialist Register for Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Only a consultant gynaecologist who meets these criteria can:

• complete part B of the ESAIS application form
• give you a referral letter for endometriosis surgery at one of the approved healthcare centres abroad

Your application will not be complete if you do not send these.

Approved healthcare centre abroad

You must have a referral letter for endometriosis surgery at one of the approved healthcare centres abroad.

Wait before you schedule or book any appointment or surgery abroad. Do not make any booking until we approve your ESAIS application.

If you are not eligible to apply

If you are not eligible for this scheme, you may be able to apply to get endometriosis surgery abroad through another scheme.

If you are not sure what scheme you may be eligible for, contact us for information.

Costs covered by the ESAIS

If we approve your application:

• we cover your healthcare costs
• we will repay you your basic sea or air fare after you return to Ireland
• you'll need to pay any other costs

Healthcare costs

Healthcare costs the scheme covers:

• 1 pre-op appointment before your surgery
• 1 endometriosis surgery and the treatment or care you have during your stay in hospital abroad
• scans or blood tests your healthcare team abroad request for your surgery

Payment for healthcare costs depends on the healthcare centre you choose. Some we pay directly. With others you pay upfront and we repay you after you send in a claim.

Contact us before you apply to the ESAIS and we will explain how payment works for the healthcare centre you're most interested in from our list.

Basic air and sea fares

The scheme also covers the return basic air or sea fares for:

• your pre-op appointment
• endometriosis surgery

If your consultant gynaecologist recommends it, we will cover basic air or sea fares for 1 travelling companion age over 18.

By basic air or sea fare we mean:

• the cost of the airline or ferry economy ticket
• government and airport or sea port charges

The scheme does not cover extra charges such as for your luggage or choice of seat.

What the scheme does not cover

The ESAIS does not cover:

• accommodation
• food and other living costs
• luggage charges
• travel agent fees
• taxis, public transport, car hire or other transport costs

Help and advice

Contact us by email, phone or online form before you apply to ask questions or get advice.

Complete the enquiry form

Email: endometriosisabroad@hse.ie

Freephone HSE Live on 1800 700 700 or phone 01 240 8787

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm

Saturday, 9am to 5pm

Applying for the ESAIS

Steps involved in applying for the ESAIS:

1. Your consultant gynaecologist must recommend you need endometriosis surgery abroad.
2. You and your consultant gynaecologist choose a healthcare centre abroad from our list.
3. Your consultant gynaecologist writes a referral letter for endometriosis surgery at that healthcare centre.
4. You complete part A of the application form.
5. Your consultant gynaecologist in Ireland completes part B of the form.
6. They send you the completed form and a copy of your referral letter for surgery abroad.
7. You send us your completed form and a copy of your referral letter for surgery abroad - by email or post.
8. We review your application and make a decision within 15 working days (about 3 weeks).
9. If your application is approved you can schedule your pre-op appointment and surgery.
10. After these dates are scheduled you can book your travel.

List of approved healthcare centres for endometriosis surgery

You and your consultant gynaecologist in Ireland choose a healthcare centre from our list of approved healthcare centres.

Your consultant gynaecologist writes a referral letter and adds the details to part B of the application form.

But you do not contact the healthcare centre to schedule dates for your pre-op appointment or surgery until after we approve your application.

These healthcare centres:

• meet international standards of clinical excellence
• prioritise patient safety
• have high-quality care
• have international accreditation or show evidence they would meet international accreditation standards

Some also have a clinical relationship with the HSE.

They also show evidence they:

• do enough surgeries to help maintain specialist surgical skills
• use a multi-disciplinary team approach
• have a lead gynaecological surgeon with qualifications in endometriosis
• have a colorectal surgeon and other specialists such as urologists
• have a lead consultant gynaecologist with academic partnerships
• publish clinical research in scientific or medical journals
• do regular clinical audits
• do data collection and annual reporting

If a healthcare centre is not on our list

You may prefer a healthcare centre that is not on our list of approved healthcare centres for endometriosis surgery.

You may be able to apply to get healthcare there through another scheme.

Completing your ESAIS application form

There are 2 sections on the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme application form (PDF, 260 KB, 16 pages).

You and your consultant gynaecologist in Ireland need to complete this form in full.

You must complete section A first.

Your consultant gynaecologist in Ireland must complete section B.

You can complete this form by hand or electronically.

By hand

Complete the form in block capitals with a black ballpoint pen.

Electronically

1. Download the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme application form (PDF, 260 KB, 16 pages) and save the form to a computer.
2. Complete section A of the form with your details.
3. Save the completed form to your computer.
4. Email the saved version of the completed form to your consultant gynaecologist to complete section B.

Sending your application form

Before you can apply your consultant gynaecologist must:

• return the completed form to you
• give you a copy of your referral letter for endometriosis surgery abroad

When you have these you can send us your application.

Where to send the form

You can send us your completed application form and a copy of your referral letter by email or post.

Email

Email your completed application form and copy of your referral letter as attachments to:

endometriosisabroad@hse.ie

Post

Post your completed application form and copy of your referral letter to:

Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme,
HSE,
Model Business Park,
Model Farm Road,
Cork,
T12 HT02

Application decision

We review your application and make a decision within 15 working days (about 3 weeks).

We send the decision to both you and your consultant gynaecologist - in writing. We do not give decisions over the phone.

If your application is incomplete, we will return it to you, and ask for more information

Approved applications

We will write to you if we approve your application and explain the next steps.

If we approve your application you can contact the healthcare centre to book your pre-op appointment and surgery. When these dates are scheduled you can book your travel.

Declined applications

We will write to you if we decline your application.

We will explain:

• why we declined your application
• how to appeal the decision

After your surgery

When you are discharged from the healthcare centre abroad, your care returns to your consultant gynaecologist in Ireland.

The hospital abroad will send your consultant gynaecologist a medical report and care plan. Your treatment will continue in Ireland.

If you need to travel abroad again for another endometriosis surgery you will need to send us a new application.