Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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345. To ask the Minister for Health the private hospitals and health providers that are under contract with the National Treatment Purchase Fund, his Department and the HSE with respect to the provision of services and surgeries that are not being met publicly or where there are extensive waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38601/16]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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348. To ask the Minister for Health the type of contracts that exist between his Department, the HSE, the National Treatment Purchase Fund and private hospitals in relation to treatments commissioned by the private sector; if contracts are awarded en bloc either in terms of funding allocated, speciality and so on or on a case by case basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38605/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 348 together.

The NTPF was established on a statutory basis in 2004 and previously arranged for the provision of hospital treatment to classes of persons determined by the Minister. Since 2011 this function has been suspended.

Budget 2017 provides for the treatment of our longest waiting patients. €20m is being allocated to the NTPF, rising to €55m in 2018.

On foot of this allocation the NTPF recently issued a Prior Information Notice stating that commissioning will recommence and they will be engaging with suppliers through competitive dialogue on the required optimum approach for future outsourcing of public patients. Controls to ensure quality patient treatment, value for money and efficient processes will be determined by this process. No formal contracts have been signed to date.

The NTPF launched the 2016 Endoscopy Initiative in June which includes outsourcing from a list of approved private providers. These are Clane General Hospital, Galway Clinic, Aut Even Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital, Beacon Hospital, Hermitage Medical Clinic, Whitfield Clinic, St. Vincent's Private Clinic, Blackrock Clinic and St. Francis Private Hospital.

In relation to contracts entered into by the HSE, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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346. To ask the Minister for Health the number of treatments commissioned from the private sector by the National Treatment Purchase Fund in each year since its inception in tabular form; the number of treatments commissioned from the private sector by his Department or the HSE in each of the past ten years if applicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38603/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Treatments have been commissioned from the private sector by both the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and the HSE in targeted initiatives to reduce waiting list numbers.

The NTPF was established on a statutory basis in 2004 and previously arranged for the provision of hospital treatment to classes of persons determined by the Minister. Since 2011 this function has been suspended.

I include with the official report a tabular statement setting out details of the annual budget of the NTPF and the number of patients treated per annum since its inception.

Budget 2017 provides for the treatment of our longest-waiting patients. €20m is being allocated to the NTPF, rising to €55m in 2018. Planning for these initiatives is currently being finalised with the NTPF. As part of this process, I have requested that the NTPF put in place a robust monitoring and evaluation process of the outputs and outcomes to ensure that the learning gleaned informs future initiatives.

In relation to treatments commissioned from the private sector by the HSE, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.