2,700 children ‘could be helped’ by treatment fund

UP to 2,700 sick children are on waiting lists for surgery or other procedures because they are not being referred for private care that they are entitled to under the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

Management of the fund accused some children’s hospitals of failing to avail of it on behalf of patients.

But the hospitals last night rejected this, saying a cap has been placed on the number of children they can refer under the scheme.