asked the Minister for Health with regard to pensions payable to patients aged over 65 in psychiatric units, the normal practice governing retention by health boards and hospitals of such pensions; the amount retained by boards to cover the cost of maintaining the patient in the institution; the amount invested on the patient's behalf pending discharge; whether accrued interest is retained by the patient or by the board; whether his Department issue regulations or guidelines in this area; and, if so, if he will identify same.
Written Answers. - Psychiatric Patients' Pensions.
67.
The practice of retaining a proportion of pensions of patients in psychiatric hospitals is governed by the Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) Regulations, 1976, and Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) (Amendment) Regulations, 1987, which allow a charge to be made at a rate not exceeding the income of the patient, less a sum of £2.50 a week or less such larger sum as may be determined by the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board having regard to the circumstances of the case. The amount of pension retained by health boards to cover maintenance costs varies. In some health boards the amount retained is equivalent to the average daily maintenance cost in the hospital in question. The weekly amount paid to individual patients or credited to their private property account varies from £7.50 to £14.70. Interest is accrued to the private patient's property account. A charge is made on the account in respect of administration and audit.