Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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682. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether the agreement with private hospitals is providing value for money; his plans for the agreement; his plans to extend or cancel the contract; and the timeline and the criteria to be used to make this decision. [9285/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A major part of the Government's Action Plan in response to Covid-19 was to substantially increase the capacity of public healthcare facilities to cope with the anticipated additional demand. In order to urgently ramp up capacity for acute care facilities, an arrangement was agreed with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system on a temporary basis, to provide essential services. A Heads of Terms of an Agreement between the HSE and the Private Hospitals was agreed at the end of March 2020 and all 18 of the acute private hospitals signed up to it. Under the arrangement, all patients in the private hospitals are treated as public patients and their treatment is prioritised based on clinical need. Provision was made under the agreement to allow for continuity of care for patients who were in a private hospital or attending for treatment at the time the Heads of Terms of the Agreement were agreed, on the grounds that these patients would be treated as public patients.  

The agreement was reviewed at the end of May and the Government decided that the existing arrangement should not be extended beyond the end of June. It has however mandated the HSE to negotiate a new arrangement with private hospitals which would provide the HSE with full access to private hospital capacity in the event of a surge of Covid-19 and separately with ongoing agreed access, to enable the HSE to meet essential and elective care needs. 

Under the agreement payment to the private hospitals is on a cost only Open Book model whereby the hospitals will be reimbursed only for the operating costs properly incurred during the period. The costs that will be covered will be limited to normal costs of operating the hospital. While the private hospitals are paid a monthly sum equal to 80% of estimated monthly costs, the hospitals will only receive their actual operating costs when these have been verified. The final cost will be verified by independent firms of accountants appointed by the HSE and the private hospitals and there will be an arbitration mechanism in place in the event of any disagreement.  

As the funding of the agreement is based on cost recovery, validated costs will not be available until the agreement is completed, however it is estimated that the cost of the agreement will be of the order of €300m. 

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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683. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the return of non-Covid-19 healthcare in acute hospitals; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9287/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In line with the National Action Plan for Covid-19, delivery of essential non-Covid care has continued to date, although at significantly lower volumes than previously, often in alternative locations and using innovative methods of care delivery. Where possible, hospitals are working to provide services in a different way, which includes virtual clinics for some out-patient department appointments.

The HSE has advised it is currently working to develop a continuity of services plan to allow for the safe delivery of care. Additionally, my Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund are working together to estimate the impact of Covid-19 on scheduled care waiting lists with a view to informing activity going forward.

As the system continues to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 care side-by-side over a more prolonged period, my Department and the HSE will continue to work closely together to protect essential non-Covid-19 acute care and progress the provision of more routine non-Covid-19 care.