The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has confirmed it suspended waiting list funding at a second hospital over “potential financial irregularities”.
The NTPF said it alerted the Department of Health and HSE about the irregularities in relation to NTPF-funded insourcing work at the public hospital.
All insourcing work with that hospital has been suspended since 11 April.
The NTPF said it immediately informed the Department and HSE of these concerns and is working with them in relation to the ongoing review.
“The matter has been referred to the HSE’s Internal Audit team. The NTPF is restricted from making further comment at this stage,” it added.
It comes as the NTPF said that following a meeting of its Board, it is to resume insourcing work, effective immediately, with Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
It follows a review of the assurances given by CHI in relation to its ongoing compliance with existing NTPF protocols and procedures.
Funding was suspended recently after the NTPF learned of details of an unpublished CHI internal report into practices in one of its hospitals.
Today the Board and Executive of the NTPF said it remain deeply concerned that there was a breach of its processes by another public body.
The NTPF said it will now increase governance and oversight across its insourcing work with public hospitals, who up to now have been responsible for this internal governance.
The NTPF has notified the Department of Health and HSE of this decision.
The NTPF has written to all public hospitals with whom it funds insourcing work to obtain further confirmation that all work is carried out in line with the NTPF’s processes and procedures in this regard.
A strict deadline of next Monday, 16 June has been given for the completion of these replies and the NTPF will report on this to the Department and the HSE.Separately,
