Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2018
314. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 396 of 24 April 2018, if it is anticipated that the rate of treatment received by patients through the National Treatment Purchase Fund will continue for the remainder of 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19057/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the NTPF to provide treatment for patients. The recently launched Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment.
Taking account of both NTPF and HSE activity in 2018 and depending on, inter alia, the level of patient demand, the Action Plan 2018 projects that:
- the number of patients waiting longer than 9 months will fall from 22,500 at end 2017 to 12,500 at the end of 2018;
- for high volume procedures, all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 9 months will be offered treatment in 2018; and
- the number of patients waiting for GI scopes will fall from 17,600 at the end of 2017 to 16,150 at the end of 2018.
In all cases, the appropriate care pathway of an individual patient remains a decision for their treating clinician. Progress against these targets will be reported on by the NTPF and HSE throughout the year.
