asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the variation in charges for geriatric care in different hospitals throughout the country and specifically in relation to the £50 weekly voluntary charge for respite services at Baggot Street Hospital, Dublin 2 by the Eastern Health Board; and if he has any proposals to standardise such charges.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Geriatric Care Charges.
65.
Before getting to the detail of my reply to the Deputy's question let me say, first of all that Baggot Street Hospital was planned for total closure before I took office. Because of my concern for the community formerly served by the hospital I insisted that Baggot Street be retained as a community hospital to service the needs of the elderly in particular.
Under the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1954 as amended by the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1965, persons who are in receipt of institutional assistance in long-stay homes and who are in receipt of an income in money exceeding £1 per week may be required to contribute towards the cost of their maintenance from the day of their admission. Persons who otherwise have full eligibility may also be liable to make this contribution.
In deciding the amount to be contributed in any particular case, health boards have full regard to the person's circumstances. Allowance is made for any commitments the person may have, for example, rent, mortgage, insurance premiums, hire purchase payments etc., and a reasonable amount is left to the person to meet their personal needs. Because of the wide variation in the circumstances of persons in receipt of institutional assistance, I do not consider that it would be feasible to introduce standard charges.
A small number of beds in Baggot Street Hospital are used as respite beds to accommodate elderly persons for a two week period. These are elderly persons who are normally cared for at home. The service exists to allow persons looking after elderly patients at home to take a holiday or other break and to be reassured that the elderly persons will be cared for in comfortable circumstances while they are away.
The Eastern Health Board encourage the families or carers of those patients to make a voluntary contribution of £50 a week towards the cost of maintenance. No actual bills are issued for this money and nobody is denied care due to inability to pay. The board do not regard the charge as excessive.
Does the Minister not consider it grossly unfair that, depending on the part of the country in which the old age pensioner looks for care, there will be a different level of charges? It is essentially unfair. Will the Minister also agree that a voluntary charge is totally unfair in terms of not being clear cut and of putting undue pressure on some families who could not afford it?
No. In this instance the voluntary charge is reasonable in so far as nobody is obliged to pay. Accounts are not sent to those who do not pay. In the retention of Baggot Street Hospital as a hospital providing a very high level of service for the elderly, the health board are justified in proposing this voluntary charge.