Blow for tackling health waiting lists

Two health services tasked with reducing Ireland’s chronic waiting list problems have been hit with a combined 64% cut to their funds.

Details of the cut to the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the Special Delivery Unit were revealed in the Department of Finance’s expenditure allocation document.

The report (pages 18-20), which can be read online at www.irishexaminer.com, outline a series of additional reductions which were not immediately apparent yesterday. And among those details is the news two vital waiting list reduction bodies will see their funding reduced from €13.9m this year to €5.1m — a fall of 64%.