Health Minister Simon Harris has published an action plan set to reduce the number of patients waiting for hospital operations or procedures.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is to offer treatment to patients who are for waiting more than nine months.
This'll apply to those waiting for high volume procedures - such as including cataract, hip and knee replacement, tonsils and scopes.
The Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 has been put together by the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the NTPF.
Action Plan to reduce numbers on hospital waiting lists published today by Minister for Health @SimonHarrisTD https://t.co/hEP8kKIC2f pic.twitter.com/NUEBDHWOhI
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) April 12, 2018
The HSE says the Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 will deliver 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures in 2018.
While the NTPF will deliver 20,000 inpatient day case treatments and 4,000 gastro intestinal scopes.
Under the action plan, the Department of Health says the number of patients waiting longer than nine months will fall by 10,000.
It also says the overall number of patients waiting for hospital operations and procedures will fall to under 70,000 by the end of the year.
