Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

85. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 1 February 2017, the exact details of his Department’s robust monitoring framework that will be implemented to ensure quality patient treatment, value for money and efficient processes in all NTPF initiatives; the person or body that will monitor the hospital performance on the criteria against which tenders will be evaluated; the chain of accountability that exists between the HSE, his Department and the NTPF in relation to waiting list initiatives and the way funding is spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11894/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that, in line with procurement practice, the criteria against which tenders received by the NTPF will be evaluated is set out in the tender documentation. These criteria consist of a combination of price per treatment and the experience of the hospital in providing similar treatments to its patients during 2016. The performance of each hospital against these criteria will be monitored by the NTPF on a constant basis.

Each hospital that is successful in the tendering process will be required to sign up to a formal comprehensive contract, which contains detailed provisions and obligations in relation to providing patient treatment, to ensure that all patient treatment delivered under the initiatives meet with the appropriate quality standards and that costs are in line with tendered prices. The detailed contract management process will be undertaken by the NTPF.

In addition to managing the tender process, the NTPF has developed a set of operational plans to ensure that all aspects of the patient treatment process are mapped and that the patient journey follows the agreed process to ensure quality outcomes for the patient and value for money for the State.

Furthermore the NPTF will be asked by the Department of Health to submit monthly reports on the number of patients treated, referring hospitals, treating hospitals, and treatment specialty. It may not be possible to make specific information on costs in relation to individual private hospitals available due to its commercial sensitivity, however, the NTPF will be required to provide to the Department of Health financial reports regarding the waiting list initiatives.

In relation to initiatives run by the NTPF, the Department will continue to engage on an ongoing basis bilaterally with the NTPF and in a tripartite manner with the NTPF and the HSE as appropriate to monitor their performance in the delivery of their targets in terms of reduction of waiting times for patients.