HSE calls for public patients to be treated privately

The Health Service Executive has called on the Health Minister, Mary Harney, to force hospitals to refer public patients for private treatment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Under the terms of the NTPF, patients waiting more than three months for a procedure can be treated privately in a bid to reduce lengthy waiting lists.

However, new figures show that many hospitals are slow to refer patients to the scheme.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund was introduced four years ago with the aim of cutting the backlog of people waiting for operations by allowing public patients to be treated in private hospitals, while the state picks up the cost.

At the moment, a person is eligible for referral if they have been waiting more than three months for a procedure.

Latest figures show that nearly 8,500 were treated under the NTPF during 2006 to date, but there are more than 15,000 waiting more than the required three months who still have not been referred to the scheme.

The Health Service Executive said it plans to discuss the issue of low take-up rates directly with hospital boards, and has confirmed that it will ask Mary Harney to formally tackle the problem.