National Treatment Purchase Fund appoint new Chief Executive

The Board of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has appointed Tony O’Brien as Chief Executive with immediate effect.

Mr O’Brien will also continue his role as Chief Operating Officer of the Special Delivery Unit (SDU).

Mr O’Brien was formerly Director of Breastcheck from 2002 and Chief Executive of the National Cancer Screening Service from its establishment in 2007.

He was central to the establishment of the National Cancer Control Programme along with Professor Tom Keane and served as its Associate Director.

He is currently Chairman of the National Cancer Registry Board of Ireland and a former Board member of St. Luke’s Hospital Board.

Commenting on the appointment, NTPF Chairman John Horan, said: "This is a time of significant change and impetus in the Irish health system and we are currently completing an initiative to ensure treatment for all the longest waiters in the system.

"We are very pleased to have someone of Tony’s experience and calibre join the NTPF and we look forward to working with him and with the new Special Delivery Unit in the delivery of the best possible care for the patients we serve."