Treatment Fund reduced surgical waiting times
The article carries various comments made by the committee, but fails to include any factual information put forward by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to the committee, including the following:
“That the NTPF operates within a small budget (0.5% of the entire health budget) and performs an effective, value-for-money role within the public health system. Its work has reduced waiting times for surgery for thousands of patients throughout the country. The position now is that, in most cases, patients waiting more than three months for a surgical procedure will be facilitated by the Fund.”
Also the NTPF pointed out that Fund prices were: “Influenced by factors such as prevailing insurance prices, capacity availability, complexity requirements and geographic considerations. Variances in prices occur because the cost base of individual hospitals differs and due to the nature and age of patients being treated.”
The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) did not say “the NTPF is also paying over the odds for some surgical procedures”. In fact, the C&AG stated that: “The initiation of the Fund addressed one of the criticisms expressed in the value-for-money report on the waiting list initiative. The Fund provided a focus that was previously absent but which was intended with the waiting list initiative and has been good in this respect. If a problem area exists, a logical response is to set up a body to address the problem.”
The C&AG added the NTPF has done good work and delivered services.
Pat O’Byrne
Chief Executive
The National Treatment
Purchase Fund
Ashford House
Tara Street
Dublin 2
