Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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313. To ask the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that all persons are suitably informed of the services they will receive in both the public and private system prior to signing the patient waiver form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33277/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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When patients are admitted to hospital they have the option of being treated as a public patient or private patient. Those patients opting to be treated privately have chosen to pay the consultant and the hospital in respect of the services that each provides. The charges applied in respect of private care in a public hospital relate not only to accommodation costs but also costs associated with non-consultant hospital doctors, nursing staff, medicines, blood, medical and surgical supplies, radiology, diagnostics, operating theatres, laboratories, administration and support staff.

The operational procedures for the management of patients' treatment preferences and the collection of private inpatient charges are a matter for the HSE in the first instance and I have asked the Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this regard.