Vol. 563 No. 4
417 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will consider extending the remit of the national treatment purchase scheme to include paediatric occupational therapy where existing services, such as those provided by the South-Eastern Health Board in Wexford, are seriously inadequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7811/03]
The national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, is initially concentrating on adults who have been waiting on acute public hospital in-patient waiting lists for surgical procedures for more than 12 months and children who have been waiting for more than six months. The NTPF has asked health boards and hospitals to identify such patients and is continuing to source capacity to enable it to offer treatment to this group of patients.
The provision of services for people living in County Wexford is a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board in the first instance. Therefore, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the specific service in Wexford mentioned by him.
