Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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407. To ask the Minister for Health the cost of the National Treatment Purchase Fund initiative in offering external appointments to those waiting longer than 12 months for a colonoscopy; the institutions that will facilitate these appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43921/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The NTPF has recently commenced a GI Endoscopy Initiative which it aims to complete before the end of the year. The Initiative will target those waiting over 12 months now or before the end of December 2015 for a routine endoscope. While these patients are largely confined to a small number of hospitals, the Initiative aims to offer an external appointment to all patients waiting 12 months.

The HSE has in place a weekly monitoring system to ensure all patients referred for an urgent colonoscopy are seen within a 28 day target time. A policy of zero tolerance applies to any breaches.

From its 2015 allocation, an amount of €1.1m has been identified by the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board to facilitate the treatment, in private hospitals, of public patients listed as waiting for more than 12 months for a gastroscopy, colonoscopy or proctoscopy procedure.

The following private hospitals have agreed to participate in this initiative:

- Aut Even;

- Barringtons;

- Blackrock Clinic;

- Bon Secours;

- Clane Hospital;

- Galway Clinic;

- Hermitage;

- Mater Private;

- North West Independent Hospital;

- St. Francis;

- Whitfield Clinic;

- 3Fivetwo Healthcare.