John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 354: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will expedite an appointment at Waterford Regional Hospital for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is a public patient waiting for an assessment and whose general practitioner has deemed their case to be urgent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7655/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The management of out-patient waiting lists is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the individual hospitals concerned. However, in 2005, at my request, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) set up a number of out-patient pilot projects. The pilot programme operated successfully and 4,500 out-patients were seen in that year. In 2006, a further 6,250 patients were provided with out-patient appointments. The NTPF expects to increase the number by over 50% to 9,500 in 2007.

Patients waiting more than three months on an out-patient waiting list may qualify for treatment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund. It is open to the person in question or anyone acting on her behalf to contact the Fund directly in relation to this case.