The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was established by Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 179 of 2004 – The National Treatment Purchase Fund Board (Establishment) Order, 2004. The NTPF’s key functions are: 1. To make arrangements with persons, whether resident in the State or elsewhere, for the provision or hospital treatment to such classes of persons as may be determined by the Minister, from time to time; 2. To collect, collate and validate information in relation to persons waiting for hospital treatment and to put in place information systems and procedures for that purpose; 3. To furnish whenever it is so required by the Minister or on its own initiative, advice to the Minister on issues relating to its functions under this article; and 4. To perform any other function in relation to the purchase of hospital treatment that the Minister may from time to time assign to it. In addition, the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act, 2009 amended the Establishment Order to include the following additional purpose: 5. To make arrangements with a person it considers to be appropriate, being proprietor of a nursing home, relating to the price at which long-term residential care services will be provided by such persons requiring such services, and who are in receipt of financial support under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009.