Private hospitals ‘should address’ waiting lists

Hospital waiting lists could be slashed if the Government agreed a five-year plan paying private medics to deal with the overflow, it has been claimed.

A group representing many of the country’s private hospitals has called for the next health minister to sit down with them and hammer out a deal.

The Private Hospitals Association has not revealed how much it would cost the State or how much they stood to make. However, it claimed they could offer best value for the public purse if it was properly planned.