Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1236: To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients who availed of the National Treatment Purchase Fund up to February 2011; the number of patients who availed of the NTPF in the year to February 2011, the number who availed of the fund since; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18098/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The total number of cases treated via the National Treatment Purchase Fund initiative up to end February 2011 is 151,156 . This is inclusive of inpatients, daycases and radiology. In addition 50,714 out-patients were treated up to end December 2010. Since 1 March 2011 there have been 12,490 people treated (inpatients, daycases and radiology). In addition 2,951 outpatients received appointments in the full year of 2011.

In July 2011 I announced changes to the remit of the NTPF - namely that it would move from working to largely outsource treatments for those waiting longest to working with hospitals in a performance improvement capacity to improve access to scheduled care. The NTPF has been aligned with the Special Delivery Unit and is now targeting waiting lists strategically and incentivising hospitals to manage their waiting times proactively. The NTPF capability is a core part of the SDU's performance improvement role in holding public hospitals to account.

In 2011 I instructed all hospitals to ensure that they had no patients waiting more than 12 months for inpatient or daycase treatment by the end of 2011. All except 2 hospitals achieved this target for their patients. In order to achieve this the NTPF supported the treatment of 1159 cases in the later half of the year. Over 60% of these cases were supported within public hospitals.

This year I have set a target that, by year end, no adult will be waiting longer than 9 months and no child longer than 20 weeks for in-patient or daycase treatment. Also no person should be waiting longer than 13 weeks for a routine GI endoscopy. Currently the NTPF / SDU is intensely engaged with public hospitals supporting their planning processes that will underpin the delivery of these targets.