'Funding cut will not hike waiting lists'

[Posted: Thu 13/09/2012 www.irishhealth.com]

The Department of Health has said a planned cut of €10 million in the fund targeted at cutting waiting lists will not slow down progress in cutting these lists.

The Department is transferring €10 million from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) budget to help ease the HSE's €259 million deficit.

NTPF funding is currently being used by the Department's Special Delivery Unit to cut waits for treatment, ED overcrowding, outpatient lists and endoscopy/colonoscopy waits.

Asked if this reduction would lead to waiting lists increasing again, a spokesperson said 'at the present time', it was not anticipated that the transfer of this funding from the NTPF would have any adverse impact on waiting lists.

"The SDU and NTPF have always adopted a patient-first approach, and will aim to identify savings in other work activities to ensure that access targets are achieved," the spokesperson said.