Treatment fund criticised for consultant ‘duplication’

NEWS that almost 4,000 patients were treated by the same consultant on the National Treatment Purchase Fund as they were on the public health service has been described as typical of the health service “duplication and expense”.

It emerged that 3,802 patients — or 11.6% of the total in 2007 — were treated under the NTPF by the same consultant who they saw as public patients.

The NTPF chief executive, Pat O’Byrne, said while it was policy for a different consultant to treat patients there were cases where that was not possible and in the interests of quick treatment it was best to let the same doctor act.