Vol. 415 No. 8
46 Mr. Noonan (Limerick-East) asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the amount of subvention for varying levels of nursing home care for which he has budgeted money in 1992; and the date on which these will come into operation.
276 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Health when it is intended to implement within each of the regional health boards, the extended subvented bed coverage for geriatric patients under the Private Nursing Homes Act, 1990; when the registration of new homes will take place to facilitate extra patients being covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Preparations to commence the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, are at an advanced stage. Details of the amounts of subvention payable under the new Act for nursing home care will be proposed shortly and will be the subject of discussion with the nursing home interests and bodies representing the interests of the elderly.
An additional £1 million has been made available this year for services to the elderly, of which a proportion will be available for the implementation of the new Act. This funding is in addition to the approximately £15 million spent by health boards in respect of patients in private and voluntary nursing homes in 1991.
The Act will be brought into effect. Registration of all nursing homes will take place within one year of the date of the commencement of the Act. Health boards will be empowerd to pay subventions under the Act in respect of residents in a nursing home as soon as the home is registered.
Funding of £.5 million has already been made available to health boards to assist with the implementation of the new subvention scheme.
