Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Minister mentioned the NTPF. How does it assess value for money of procedures accessed in private facilities? The Minister has given approval to 1,000 bed cuts in acute hospitals by the HSE in 2010. Will this not result in more people seeking access to specific procedures through the NTPF? If we are to close public beds in public hospitals we cannot cater for the normal throughput in those hospitals and people will be on longer waiting lists for specific procedures. This will place a greater strain on the NTPF and an additional cost on the taxpayers who fund it.

There have been recent reports that consultants are not adhering to the agreement to do 20% private work and 80% public. In some cases it is reported that consultants are doing 100% private work and are in clear breach of their contract. What monitoring is in place and what measures will the Minister take to ensure compliance by these consultants with their contracts?

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