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"I am determined to use the NTPF and capacity in the private system to get patients off waiting lists." - Harris

Minister for Health, Simon Harris, has today (Sunday) announced a new National Treatment Purchase Fund initiative to provide diagnostic endoscopy tests to an extra 700 patients who are waiting for scopes.  

Minister Harris said, "I am determined to use the NTPF and capacity in the private system to get patients off waiting lists. We have a rising demand for endoscopy procedures in this country and this important new NTPF initiative will increase the number of these procedures that can be carried out over the coming months. Under this €700,000 Initiative the NTPF expects to provide an endoscopy procedure to an extra 700 of the longest-waiting patients.”

Minister Harris said, “the NTPF is currently in the process of preparing to roll-out this initiative, with outsourcing to begin this month.”

Under this initiative the NTPF pays for public patients to have the tests in private hospitals. The NTPF will work with public hospitals to ensure that the hospitals validate their waiting lists; identify patients who will continue to be treated by the public hospital; and then identify those patients who will be offered outsourcing of their procedure to a private hospital.