Vol. 396 No. 5
26 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the practice that has developed whereby geriatric patients are being forced by health boards and private nursing homes to sell their family homes to pay their maintenance charges.
The provision of long term care for the elderly is a matter for each of the eight regional health boards in the first instance. I have been in contact with the boards on this matter and they have furnished me with reports which state that it is not their policy to force geriatric patients to sell their family homes to pay the maintenance charges in private or health board nursing homes.
The Deputy will be aware that maintenance charges levied by private nursing homes are outside the scope of my Department and as such are a matter for resolution between the patient and the nursing home proprietor.
