Hospitals offer long-waiting patients treatment options

IN a bid to cut the backlog of patients waiting two years or more for surgery, hospitals are writing directly to them offering the option of being treated under the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

Almost 80% of people waiting more than 12 months for hospital treatment are based in the east. Up to the end of June 4,641 adults in the region were waiting more than 12 months and more than half are waiting more than two years for treatment.

Four acute hospitals in the region Tallaght, Vincent's, Beaumont and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children have all agreed to write directly to those waiting the longest offering them treatment under the fund.