While the waiting list initiative will continue to fund additional elective activity, the dedicated national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, is being used to target those waiting longest for treatment – those waiting more than 12 months. Where this target has been achieved in some health boards we are moving down to six months. Funding of €43.8 million has been provided in 2003 for the waiting list initiative while some €31 million has been provided for the NTPF, the success of which is evidenced through the 4,000 who have received treatment. The 4,000 people concerned are patients who were awaiting treatment for longer than 12 months.