The Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) is a scheme to get planned healthcare in a private healthcare service in Northern Ireland. You cannot use it to get healthcare in a public healthcare service.
You must pay the provider for your healthcare. After you have the healthcare, you can apply to the HSE for payment towards the cost of the healthcare. The scheme does not cover other costs such as travel or accommodation costs.
The NIPHS is similar to the Cross Border Directive (CBD). You can use the CBD if you want to get healthcare in another EU or EEA country.
Who can apply
To apply, you must:
- be living in the Republic of Ireland for 1 year or intend to live here for at least 1 year
- be eligible for the healthcare you want in the public health system in the Republic of Ireland
- have an outpatient consultation before inpatient or day case treatment
Having private health insurance does not exclude you but you cannot use it for a referral under the NIPHS. You can only use a referral from a GP or a consultant you see as a public patient.
If you are unsure if you qualify for the NIPHS, contact us for help.
Apply for NIPHS healthcare costs
Your outpatient consultation
Your outpatient consultation can be:
- in Northern Ireland, with your treating consultant
- in the Republic of Ireland, with a consultant treating you as a public patient
If you need inpatient treatment, the consultation must be in-person.
If you need day case treatment, the consultation can be:
- in-person
- a phone call
- a video call
Having an outpatient consultation on a day before your admission may give you more time to decide if you:
- are comfortable with the consultant and the hospital in Northern Ireland
- want to go ahead with healthcare at a date in the future
- have any questions before you get the healthcare
Prior notification
If you plan to have inpatient or day case treatment, you can apply for prior notification before you travel abroad for treatment. You still need to apply for healthcare costs after you have your healthcare in Northern Ireland.
If you apply for prior notification, we can:
- confirm if you are eligible to apply for healthcare costs
- give you an indication of how much you might get
Accessing your medical records
You might need to give a copy of your medical records to your healthcare provider in Northern Ireland.
The GP or clinical referrer who referred you or the doctor in Northern Ireland can tell you the information you need to bring.
You can ask your GP or hospital in Ireland for your medical records.
Finding a service abroad
It is up to you to find a healthcare service abroad.
Use a registered medical practitioner in a healthcare provider that:
- is in a recognised hospital or other institution
- has child protection policies in place, if applying as a parent or guardian