A new report has found Ireland compares poorly internationally on publication of waiting list data, writes Medical Independent. A previous National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) audit report (AHT blog post 5/27/2019) on the official waiting times which patients face to secure hospital treatment found waiting times are being inaccurately reported at both local and national level . The NTPF carried out audits of nine major hospitals in Ireland for this report.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) had commissioned Trinity College Dublin to review international best practice for reporting of waiting lists and to produce a report outlining the findings. Medical Independent writes that the report, which was submitted to the Department of Health in May, states Ireland falls far behind other countries in terms of waiting list data and reporting. The lack of ‘waiting time’ data was noted in the report, in addition to the absence of targets to drive down waiting lists in the Irish health system. Substantial investment in IT is necessary to improve waiting list reporting, according to the report.
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