National Treatment Purchase Fund is a sticking plaster solution

News Article | 12 Jul 2016

The Irish Cancer Society has today welcomed Minister for Health, Simon Harris’s announcement that the National Treatment Purchase Fund will provide 1,500 endoscopy procedures for patients in the coming months. 

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However, the Society is concerned that the use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund is a sticking plaster solution and the Government need to develop a comprehensive, well-resourced plan to tackle the serious waiting list problem in Ireland’s public health system.

At present 5,036 people are waiting longer than three months for a colonoscopy, an all-time high. At the end of December 2015, 3,395 public patients were waiting for over three months for the test. This is an increase of 1,641 people since December 2015. Currently 46% of public patients are waiting longer than 3 months. 

In two hospitals over 75% of patients are waiting longer than three months for a colonoscopy, while at a further two hospitals this figure is over 60%. Private patients can get the test done within 12 days, highlighting the public and private divide in Ireland’s health system. 

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Head of Services & Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society, Donal Buggy said: “It is unacceptable that waiting times for colonoscopies are at an all-time high. While we welcome the use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund to target those waiting the longest, a long-term, well-resourced plan to tackle public waiting lists is needed. The stark reality is that we can expect some colorectal (bowel) cancers to be diagnosed when patients on these waiting lists do eventually receive their colonoscopy.”

The Irish Cancer Society estimates that if waiting times continue to rise at the rate they have since the end of December, 6,677 people could be waiting more than three months for a colonoscopy by the end of this year.

“It is evident that long-term solutions are required to solve this ongoing issue. The waiting lists in the public system need to be fixed, and outsourcing to the private system is not sustainable. We acknowledge the efforts of the HSE in addressing the issue thus far, in particular the appointment of a Clinical Lead to the National Endoscope Working Group, but more needs to be done, and urgently. 

The Irish Cancer Society wants: 

  • Adequate investment so there are enough radiographers and gastroenterologists working in Irish hospitals.

  • Investment in, and training of, additional Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) to enable them to perform colonoscopies safely and effectively.

  • Continued and closer coordination of colonoscopy lists between hospitals working within the same hospital group, so that a situation where endoscopy suites in one hospital are under-utilised while a hospital in the same group is overburdened, is avoided.

  • GPs to have clear guidelines for when they should refer a patient for a colonoscopy and when another investigation is better suited.

“We will be meeting with Minister Harris next month and we will be raising this issue with him”. 

The HSE’s target before 2016 was that 100% of patients should get a colonoscopy within 13 weeks. This has now been revised down to 70% in the HSE Service Plan for 2016. 

Anyone who is concerned can contact the Irish Cancer Society’s Cancer Nurseline on Freephone 1800 200 700 to speak to a cancer nurse who can offer information and support.