Cross-border care
Cross-border healthcare for Republic of Ireland patients
If you live in Donegal or anywhere in the Republic of Ireland and are waiting for planned care, the Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) may offer a faster route into consultant-led treatment at JACE Private Hospital, just across the border in Greysteel.
- Specialties
- 7
- Typical procedure wait
- 4–6 weeks
- Consultation locations
- 2
- Parking
- Free
About the scheme
What the NIPHS pathway means
The Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme allows eligible Republic of Ireland patients to access planned treatment in Northern Ireland, with reimbursement supported through the HSE where the route and paperwork are approved.
Designed for Republic of Ireland patients who want a faster route into planned consultant-led care in Northern Ireland.
The scheme can support consultations, procedures, and follow-up where the pathway is eligible and correctly referred.
Our team can help you understand the referral route early, before you commit time to the next step.
Eligibility
Who this cross-border route suits
If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria, the quickest next step is to speak to your GP and then contact our team with your referral details.
Live in the Republic of Ireland
The pathway is designed for eligible patients who normally reside in the Republic of Ireland.
Waiting for planned treatment
You are waiting for a planned procedure or outpatient pathway that may be available through the scheme.
Relevant specialty available
Your treatment falls within one of the specialties currently offered through JACE Private Hospital.
GP referral in place
Your GP in the Republic agrees to refer you and support the route into the NIPHS process.
Clearer next-step planning
Cross-border care can feel complicated unless someone explains the route clearly. We help you understand whether the pathway is suitable before consultation or procedure planning moves ahead.
We aim to reply to eligible cross-border enquiries the same working day.
Consultations can be arranged in Greysteel or Letterkenny depending on the pathway.
Typical procedure waits are often around 4 to 6 weeks after consultation, depending on specialty and approval.
You stay on a named consultant-led pathway from assessment through procedure planning and follow-up.
Eligible treatments
Treatments available under cross-border care
The specialties most commonly used by Republic of Ireland patients through this scheme. Each links to the treatment or consultant page.
- View pathway
Orthopaedics
Hand, wrist, and elbow surgery including carpal tunnel, trigger finger, tendon problems, and upper-limb joint conditions.
With Mr Kieran Lappin
- View pathway
Venous Surgery
Varicose vein treatment, sclerotherapy, and consultant-led endovenous procedures under a specialist venous pathway.
With Mr Zola Mzimba
- View pathway
Urology
Flexible cystoscopy, circumcision, hydrocele repair, vasectomy, and related urological assessment.
With Mr Nathan Grimes
- View pathway
Endoscopy
OGD, colonoscopy, and flexible sigmoidoscopy procedures through a consultant-led digestive health route.
With Mr Roger Lawther
- View pathway
General Surgery
Hernias, abdominal surgery, breast conditions, and soft-tissue procedures under general surgical assessment.
With Mr Michael Harron
- View pathway
Orthopaedic Injections
Targeted steroid injections for joint and soft-tissue pain where a non-operative specialist route is appropriate.
With Mr Kieran Lappin
- View pathway
Minor Plastic Surgery
Mole checks, skin lesion assessment, and minor procedures where a referral into this route is appropriate.
Consultant-led review
The process
How the cross-border route works
The aim is to make the process easier to follow before you book, travel, or start paperwork.
- 1
Speak to your GP
Your GP in the Republic of Ireland confirms whether referral into the pathway is appropriate and provides the referral letter needed to move forward.
- 2
Send your referral to JACE
Our team reviews your enquiry, explains whether the route looks suitable, and helps you understand the next consultation step and likely paperwork.
- 3
Attend your consultation
You meet the consultant in Greysteel or Letterkenny, discuss the treatment route, and receive clearer guidance on procedure planning and documents.
- 4
Move into treatment and follow-up
If the pathway proceeds, treatment is arranged in Northern Ireland with consultant-led aftercare and follow-up planning afterwards.
What patients usually want to know first
Whether the specialty and procedure are eligible under the scheme.
What paperwork is needed before consultation and treatment can move ahead.
How quickly the pathway can progress compared with public waiting-list routes.
Funding and travel
Reimbursement, travel and the practical next steps
Cross-border care works best when the referral and paperwork are clear from the start. Our team will help you understand the likely route before consultation, but official eligibility and reimbursement remain governed by the HSE/NIPHS process.
Eligible treatment is reimbursed through the HSE/NIPHS route rather than handled like standard self-pay pricing.
Consultations may be available in Greysteel or Letterkenny before any Northern Ireland procedure date is arranged.
Travel expectations, location details, and documentation are explained before the pathway moves ahead.
Check the HSE scheme details before you proceed
We can explain the route into JACE, but the HSE remains the source for official NIPHS guidance and reimbursement criteria.
Why JACE
Why Republic of Ireland patients choose JACE Private Hospital
The main advantage is not just location. It is the combination of consultant-led access, clearer next-step planning, and treatment pathways designed to move quickly once the route is confirmed.
Consultations in Greysteel or Letterkenny
Choose the consultation location that best suits your route into care before any procedure planning is arranged.
Consultant-led throughout
Assessment, decision-making, treatment planning, and follow-up stay under specialist consultant oversight.
Faster access than many public waits
The pathway is designed to move eligible patients forward quickly. Our team aims to reply the same working day, and typical procedure waits are measured in weeks.
Straightforward travel route
The hospital is accessible for patients travelling from the Republic of Ireland and can support cross-border care planning clearly.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Guides
Read more before you enquire
- Guide · 7 min readNIPHS explained, step by stepWho qualifies, the paperwork, paying in sterling and claiming back from the HSE, and how follow-up works once you are home.
- Guide · 5 min readCan I use VHI, Laya or Irish Life Health in Northern Ireland?What to ask your Irish insurer before booking, and the self-pay and NIPHS alternatives if your plan does not cover treatment in NI.
- AreaPatients from Letterkenny and DonegalJourney times, what to bring and which treatments Donegal patients most often travel to Greysteel for.
Next step
Start a cross-border enquiry
Start your enquiry and our team will guide you through referrals, likely eligibility, and the next available consultation route.