NTPF wait: Hospitals must answer

THE Health Service Executive should investigate why public hospitals are refusing to refer patients awaiting surgery to the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was told on Thursday that more than 2,000 patients are waiting for over a year for surgery. Several hundred more are waiting up to two years.

The fund was created in 2002 by then minister for health Micheál Martin to address public hospital waiting lists. Patients waiting more than three months for an operation or procedure can apply to have the fund pay for treatment privately in Ireland or abroad.

However, despite a €100 million budget to buy private care for public patients, the NTPF conceded there were delays. The PAC was told a select number of public hospitals were too slow in referring patients to the scheme.

The Green Party’s Ciaran Cuffe yesterday called on the HSE to investigate the public hospitals that refuse to refer patients. He said some hospital were repeated and consistent offenders and said GPs should be allowed to refer patients to the NTPF if they could not get a hospital appointment.

The hospitals which continue to have unacceptably long waiting times are:

Letterkenny: 385.

Cork University Hospital: 158.

Sligo: 272.

Tallaght: 180.

Tullamore: 161.

To date, more than 100,000 patients have accessed faster treatment under the NTPF scheme. NTPF chief executive Pat O’Byrne said forcing public patients to wait 12 months for surgery was entirely unacceptable.

“There is absolutely no need for patients to wait over 12 months for surgery, especially in view of the fact that the capacity exists to treat these patients under the NTPF within a matter of weeks. The reality is that patients who are waiting over 12 months in some hospitals are not being referred to the NTPF.

“We again urge those public hospitals with patients over 12 months on waiting lists to refer these patients to the NTPF. We also invite those patients on waiting lists over 12 months to contact us directly on 1890 720 820.”