National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2005

Thursday, 24 February 2005

Ceisteanna (103)

John Perry

Ceist:

100 Mr. Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the new state of the art private hospital in Galway is being used for the treatment purchase fund: if not, if some treatments can be carried out outside the State at a much less charge; if, with regard to the rental charges for doctors in private hospital many unnecessary procedures that command high fees are carried out to justify the operational cost of the medical profession; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6413/05]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

The national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, purchases procedures from private and public hospitals in Ireland. Where it is not possible to treat patients within a reasonable period in Ireland, either in public or private hospitals, arrangements can be made to refer the public patients for treatment abroad, having regard to quality, availability and cost. My Department has been informed by the fund that it has arranged for treatments to be carried out at the new private hospital in Galway.

The majority of procedures funded by the NTPF to date have been carried out in private hospitals in Ireland. In relation to the cost of these procedures, my Department has been assured by the fund that the prices negotiated by the NTPF compare favourably with the comparative benchmarks available for the costs of the vast majority of procedures.

I have no function regarding the operation of private hospitals in Ireland or in the delivery of the services they provide.