Robert Troy
Ceist:543. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a reimbursement to be issued to a person (details supplied) will be arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12356/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 20 March 2018
Ceisteanna (543)
Freagraí scríofa
Reducing waiting times for hospital procedures is a key priority of this Government. In Budget 2018 a total of €55m was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to improve access and reducing waiting time for inpatient and day-case procedures.
Waiting List Figures for the end of February, published by the NTPF on 14 March, show that 72% of Inpatient Day Case patients and 61% of outpatients are waiting 9 months or less.
At the end of February 2018, there were 79,039 patients in total waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure, this is a reduction of 1,165 patients waiting compared to the end of January 2018 and a reduction of 7,075 when compared to the numbers waiting at the end of July 2017.
This is against a background of increasing demands on our Acute Hospitals, which, since 2000 are carrying out four times more procedures for patients aged 65 and over and twice as many in the under 65 age group.
Treatments, such as the procedure referred to by the Deputy, are provided to patients in public hospitals and also through the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). There is no statutory scheme for the reimbursement, by the public health system, of the cost incurred by an individual for private healthcare carried out in Ireland.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.