The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is exploring ways to reduce backlogs in paediatric care, the Medical Independent has learned.
The NTPF has initiated a “preliminary market consultation” inviting private hospitals and non-hospital settings on the island of Ireland to submit information on their paediatric care services.
“We are particularly interested in understanding the capabilities, service offerings, and specific expertise of providers delivering paediatric healthcare services in both private hospital and non-hospital settings,” according to the notice.
“The objective is to explore potential solutions that could assist in addressing patient backlogs and ensuring timelier access to paediatric care. This preliminary market consultation is intended to gather information from interested providers to inform the development of a potential future procurement process.”
Providers have been asked to provide information on services and treatments; patient care and case management; and capacity and patient throughput, among other areas.
The providers have also been requested to submit their “unique selling points”. These are the “distinctive features” of their paediatric service model that contribute to reducing waiting times and enhancing timely access to high-quality care. The deadline for the receipt of submissions is 28 March.
As of late January, some 9,238 children were awaiting a day case or inpatient procedure. A further 74,632 children were awaiting an outpatient appointment, according to NTPF figures.
In February, the Department of Health published the Waiting List Action Plan 2025, which aims to reduce patient waiting times for healthcare nationally. Funding of €420 million has been allocated to the plan. Some €230 million of the funding is being provided to the NTPF and €190 million to the HSE.
The action plan aims to reduce the weighted average waiting time for scheduled care to 5.5 months. Another target is ensuring 90 per cent of patients are waiting less than 12 months for an outpatient appointment by the end of this year.
A spokesperson for the NTPF confirmed that the market consultation had been issued. They added that the NTPF is “committed to providing assistance to Children’s Health Ireland” to meet waiting time targets for a range of specialties.
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