Vol. 421 No. 5
15 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will outline (a) the level of subvention for private nursing home care now available (b) the estimated cost to the Exchequer and (c) the planned increase in Exchequer funding under the new nursing home subvention scheme.
(a) The current level of subvention for a dependent person in private nursing home care is £7.23 per day or £50.61 per week. This subvention is paid by health boards under section 54 of the Health Act, 1970 to private nursing homes which have been approved for the payment of subvention.
Subvention is also paid in respect of dependent persons in private nursing homes under section 26 of the Health Act, 1970. This subvention is paid by arrangement between health boards and nursing homes. There is no fixed rate of subvention paid under this section. Rates vary with the circumstances of the patient and the care provided by nursing homes.
(b) The cost to the Exchequer of subventions to private nursing homes by health boards in 1991 was approximately £6 million.
(c) The financial implications of implementing the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 have not yet been finalised.
