David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1507. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline all reports or correspondence she has received in relation to concerns about NTPF funding since she came into her post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29948/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is an independent public body, which carries out a number of roles within the Irish Health System, including commissioning treatment in the public and private systems, with the suitability of the patients for treatment determined by the public hospital responsible for the care of individual patients.

The NTPF commissioning model is based on using the hospital waiting list data to identify the longest waiting patients on hospital waiting lists, and high volume procedures for which there are long waiting patients.

The NTPF Board is responsible for ensuring good governance and compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and that it meets its strategic objectives. There is regular correspondence and contact between officials in my Department and the Senior Management Team of the NTPF to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice and to monitor the overall performance of the organisation. This is done through formal quarterly Governance Meetings as well as through ongoing regular engagement, including in respect of the implementation of Best Practice Reporting, the National Waiting List Forum, the development of the National Waiting List Protocols, performance under the Waiting List Action Plan, and more generally in respect of waiting list reporting.

The NTPF has consistently demonstrated an ability to provide its activity in a cost-effective manner and targeting its activity to have the maximum effect on acute hospital waiting lists.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1508. To ask the Minister for Health if she has received a copy of an internal investigation into the use of NTFP funding at CHI as reported in a newspaper (details supplied); if she will publish the report, if she will ensure that the Oireachtas Committee on Health receives a copy, if not, the reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29949/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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On Monday 26 May, the CHI internal report (2022) referred to in the media was provided to my Department by the HSE. On the same day, I wrote to the Board of CHI requesting a full response to the report.

CHI has advised that the review was conducted at the end of 2021, and finalised January 2022, in response to concerns and issues raised. The report was accepted by the CHI Board and an action plan was developed to implement and track the recommendations from the internal review. CHI advises that the majority of actions are closed, and work is ongoing on remaining actions.

The Attorney General has made it clear that as this is a CHI report any publication must be made by CHI. The Department of Health and the HSE are currently engaging with CHI on the matter.

The HSE CEO is commissioning an audit of governance and equity in patient access and waiting list management at CHI. The audit aims to assess governance and equity in access to care, especially regarding the balance between public and private patient management.