Five hospitals are targeted by NTPF

Greater efforts could be made to cut waiting times of over 12 months at five hospitals across the country, according to the Chief Executive of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). CEO Pat O’Byrne said the Fund was still experiencing difficulties with regard to Tallaght, Tullamore, Crumlin, Temple Street and Limerick Regional hospitals. “If a hospital can treat patients waiting fewer than 12 months, why can they not treat a handful of patients waiting more than 12 months? If patients are deemed to only be treatable in-house, why cannot these hospitals do this? The solution is a two-way process,” O’Byrne…