Disability Diagnoses

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

Questions (1512)

Pauline Tully

Question:

1512. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health in view of the response from An Tánaiste on 23 March 2023 in relation to the use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund for those seeking an assessment of need, where he stated that while “[p]redominantly, it has been used for inpatient acute treatment... the Minister has indicated in the past that it can be used for disabilities... and also to deal with that very significant outpatient list...”, if he will clarify whether the National Treatment Purchase Fund can be used for those seeking an assessment of need, as the response from An Tánaiste seems to contradict the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1355 of 21 March 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17026/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Further to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 1355 of 21 March 2023, I wish to clarify that the statutory remit of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is in respect of the provision of hospital treatment and does not extend to arranging or funding any non-hospital services, including assessments of need.

The NTPF’s commissioning model had previously focused on the procurement of treatment for clinically suitable, long-waiting patients on Inpatient/Day Case hospital waiting lists. The procurement of Outpatient services by the NTPF increased significantly in 2022, and under the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, the NTPF will arrange 110,000 outpatient appointments in public and private hospitals, for patients who are on acute public hospital waiting lists. The increase in procurement of Outpatient services by the NTPF is in line with its statutory remit.

Outside of the scope of the Waiting List Action Plan and the role of the NTPF, budget 2023 included €80 million allocated to various HSE primary and community care-related activities under the area of Waiting Lists. Of this funding, €11.7 million has been allocated to address backlogs in disability services related to Assessments of Need.