Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1880. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the 20 specialties for which the National Treatment Purchase Fund undertake to arrange alternative care for those waiting over six months; and the number of procedures in each specialty in the year to date; and projections for the full year. [40974/22]
View answerThe 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, which was launched on the 25th of February, allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.
The Plan identifies 15 rather than 20 high volume procedures and includes a commitment that anybody waiting 6 months, who is clinically suitable, will receive an offer of care by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
The NTPF has confirmed to my Department that from January to 20 July 2022, it has arranged treatment for 10,274 patients for one of the targeted procedures, as per the attached table. The NTPF has further confirmed that sufficient capacity has been sourced to allow it to offer treatment to all bar procedure (skin lesion removal) by September with capacity for it coming on stream for it by the year end.
There remains a risk that the NTPF will face constrains in delivering additional activity by the year end especially in the event of further Covid 19 surges.
