Waiting-list funding halted at second hospital over ‘potential financial irregularities’

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Funding to help alleviate waiting lists has been suspended at a second hospital because of “potential financial irregularities”.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) said it had suspended all insourcing work at the public hospital since April 11th and immediately informed the Department of Health and Health Service Executive (HSE).

The matter had been referred to the HSE’s internal audit team.

“The board and executive of the NTPF take their responsibilities very seriously and will take whatever actions are necessary to ensure our spend with public hospitals is fully protected for the benefit of public patients,” NTPF chief executive Fiona Brady said.

“Any proven misuse of public money by public institutions will be treated with the gravity it deserves.”

The NTPF, which is a body that arranges external treatments for patients on public hospital waiting lists, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks.

It was reported in the Sunday Times that a consultant breached HSE guidelines by referring patients he was seeing in his public practice to his weekend private clinics, rather than securing earlier treatment for them by referring them to HSE colleagues.

The newspaper said the consultant was paid thousands of euro through the NTPF, and the details were uncovered by an internal investigation by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

The NTPF said on Wednesday that following a meeting of its board, it would immediately recommence insourcing work with CHI after a review of its assurances.

But it said that the board and executive “remain deeply concerned” that there had been a breach of its processes by another public body.

It said governance and oversight across its insourcing work with public hospitals – who until now have been responsible for this internal governance – would increase.

As well as notifying the Department of Health and HSE of its decision, the NTPF had also written to all public hospitals with whom it funds insourcing work to obtain further confirmation that all work is carried out in line with the NTPF’s processes and procedures.

A deadline of Monday, June 16th, has been given for the completion of these replies.

“Insourcing work through the NTPF has delivered benefits to thousands of patients in recent years and has a demonstrable impact on waiting times and waiting-list numbers,” Ms Brady said.

“However, it is vital there is public trust and confidence around insourcing with public hospitals.

“It must be ed that these public hospitals already have clear and established lines of reporting and ability within the public system and clear obligations to comply with the of the signed memorandum of understanding in respect of NTPF-funded work.

“We will now work urgently with the Department of Health and HSE on any additional measures that may be needed to ensure that necessary controls of NTPF-funded initiatives are in place in the public hospitals.”