The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was one of the outstanding success stories of the health services, Minister of State for Health Tim O'Malley said yesterday.
Opening the annual symposium of the NTPF, Mr O'Malley said it had been another highly successful year for the fund. The numbers of people who had secured their hospital treatment through the auspices of the NTPF were increasing at an enormous rate, year on year, since it commenced operations in 2002.
"Up to the end of October 2006, I understand that 50,289 patients have had treatment arranged for them by the fund, 16,250 of them in this year alone. This is a tremendous achievement and particularly so when, in 2002, the first year of operation of the fund, a mere 1,920 availed of in-patient services through it."
Through the fund's frequent advertising campaigns, members of the public were becoming more aware they did not have to wait more than three months for treatment and that they could self-refer to the fund for treatment.
In line with the increase in activity, the allocation from the Department of Health for the NTPF had increased each year since the fund was established in 2002, he said.
"I am pleased to say that for 2007, it has been possible to allocate €88.5 million to the NTPF. This represents an increase of over €10 million on 2006. I have no doubt that this will enable the fund to increase again in 2007 the numbers of out-patient appointments and in-patient treatments it can arrange," Mr O'Malley said.
The fund was an initiative established in 2002 to reduce long-term waiting lists. If a public patient is over three months on a public hospital in-patient waiting list for an operation they can contact the fund to discuss treatment in a private hospital.
The NTPF sources treatment for qualifying patients in hospitals in the 32 counties and England. Patients who opt for treatment with the fund will receive their treatment free of charge.