John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied that treatment provided under the National Treatment Purchase Fund provides an equivalent level of specialisation to patients to that which would be provided in the public health system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14957/08]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied that patients referred to private hospital treatment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund are provided with the level of specialisation required by the complexity of the condition being treated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14958/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together.

Services delivered under the auspices of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are provided by hospital consultants who are required by the NTPF to be registered with the Fund and who are also approved by the NTPF's Chief Medical Advisor as being eligible for certification on the Medical Council's Specialist Register.

Patients are referred to consultants in the specialty which they require and to hospitals approved by the NTPF to undertake the necessary procedure. As is the case in the public hospital system, not all procedures can be carried out in all hospitals and, in the interests of optimal patient safety, patients are only referred to hospitals appropriate to their needs.

I am satisfied that patients who benefit from treatment sourced through NTPF are not at any disadvantage compared to those who receive similar treatment through the public health system.