Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With respect to where we go from here, we have heard the doctors and the IMO speak about the dangers of a surge later in the year. I do not agree with my colleague, Deputy Murphy, about the NTPF. What we know about the present model, whatever the future model might be, is that if one incentivises activity, one gets increases. At the moment, the only way to do that is within the private hospital sector. Where does Mr. Varley think we are going in terms of the NTPF? Can we streamline patients through the NTPF to get more elective procedures done?

Some of the private hospitals have already invested in polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing, which gives results within 20 minutes. This should allow a far safer movement of patients, and potentially care staff, through the hospital. Is this something the IHCA would try to progress as quickly as possible? That seems to be a way to speed up efficiency and to counter some of our capacity issues.