Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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125. To ask the Minister for Health further to the budget announcement of additional funding being made to the National Treatment Purchase Fund to outline the evaluation mechanisms in place to ensure value for money; the evaluation mechanisms in place to ensure satisfactory outcomes and number of treatments in accordance with the funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4550/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018.

Embedded in all NTPF initiatives are procedures to report on the type, nature and cost of treatments commissioned, including controls to ensure quality patient treatment, value for money and efficient processes. My Department will also implement a robust monitoring framework in this regard.

In December 2016, I granted approval to the NTPF to dedicate €5 m to a daycase waiting list initiative with the aim of ensuring that no patient will be waiting more than 18 months for a daycase procedure by 30 June 2017. Around 3,000 daycases will be managed through this process and outsourcing of treatment will commence shortly.

In addition to this daycase initiative, the NTPF will be working closely with my Department and the HSE to agree an approach to the remaining 2017 allocation as well as planning the approach for the significant increase in the allocation to address long waiting in 2018.

The HSE is currently developing a 2017 Waiting List Action Plan for inpatient/daycase procedures to ensure that no patient is waiting more than 15 months by the end of October. This Plan is being developed in conjunction with the NTPF's proposal for utilisation of its remaining €10 m funding for patient treatment in 2017. A similar plan is being developed for outpatient appointments. I expect to make known the details of both plans in the coming weeks.