Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2016
83. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his Department’s estimated impact on waiting times of the additional €15 million in 2017 for the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38014/16]
View answerThis Government is committed to improving waiting times for patients. While recognising that demand for acute hospital services has increased this year with a 4% increase in inpatient and day case activity to end October compared with the same period last year, the important issue for patients is how long they wait.
Budget 2017 provides for the treatment of our longest-waiting patients. €20m is being allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) in 2017, rising to €55m in 2018. Planning of these initiatives is currently being finalised with the NTPF.
Approval has been granted to the NTPF on the basis of a proposal which outlines the use of a first tranche of funding, in the region of €5m, for an initiative focusing on day case procedures. The NTPF and HSE are currently engaging regarding a proposal for the use of the remaining €10m for patient treatment. This gradual, stepped approach will enable the NTPF to build new operational capacity towards its 2018 allocation.
In addition, it is intended that the NTPF's proposal will free up capacity in the public hospital system to provide treatment to those patients awaiting inpatient treatment, whose requirements are more complex and thus more suited to the public hospital system.
I will shortly be asking the HSE to develop a Waiting List Action Plan for 2017 working collaboratively with the NTPF to address inpatient, day case and outpatient waiting times.
