National Treatment Purchase Fund

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Questions (434, 448)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

434. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason the National Treatment Purchase Fund will no longer publish waiting lists at a time separate from the publication of Health Service Executive monthly reports; if this will result in significant delays in publication of timely and up-to-date information in view of the fact that publication of National Treatment Purchase Fund figures for September were a month behind compared to August; and if he will amend his answer to Parliamentary Question No. 631 of 20 November 2013, which could give the impression that the NTPF has published comprehensive July waiting list data when only national figures were published and no hospital trend analysis of waiting times or child adult waiting list analysis, outpatient data or outpatient data by speciality was published. [51710/13]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

448. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the purpose and the public interest that is served by delaying publication of national treatment purchase fund waiting list data so as to coincide with the publication of Health Service Executive monthly performance reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51775/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 448 together.

Performance data relating to July 2013 was not available in time to publish an individual July 2013 report. Data relating to July 2013 has, however, been incorporated into the National Trend Analysis of Waiting Times Report, as is standard practice. The National Trend Analysis of Waiting Times is a report which demonstrates cumulative monthly reviews of all patient categories.

With regard to the simultaneous publication of HSE Monthly Management Assurance reports and NTPF monthly reports, this is intended to enable comprehensive consideration of available data relating to both activity and resultant outcomes.