Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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433. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the National Treatment Purchase Fund does not operate in Beaumont Hospital; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) is on the waiting list for surgery for over 18 months; the position of the person on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42099/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. In Budget 2019 the Government has further increased investment in this area, with funding to the NTPF to increase from €55m in 2018 to €75m in 2019.

The Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment. The Action Plan has been developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients. Under the Plan, the NTPF, working closely with the HSE, has invited all hospital groups to develop proposals to maximise the use of existing facilities and capacity.

The NTPF advises it has received a variety of proposals from across all hospital groups, including the RCSI group. The NTPF authorises public hospitals to offer outsourced treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having being referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic. NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.

In relation to the status of the appointment for specific patient outlined by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.