Vol. 487 No. 5
104 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, while the Eastern Health Board awarded 200 special cases an increase in subvention earlier in 1998, some nursing homes in the health board area have increased their fees accordingly, resulting in no gain by the residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4465/98]
Additional funding was made available by my Department in late 1997 to facilitate health boards in the implementation of nursing homes legislation, including the Nursing Homes (Subvention) (Amendment) Regulations, 1996. These regulations allow boards, inter alia, to pay an enhanced subvention in certain circumstances. I understand that as a result of this additional funding, the Eastern Health Board made available enhanced subventions to 205 older people in private nursing home care whose financial resources had become depleted.
The board is aware that certain homes have increased their fees in the last few months. I am anxious that the recent improvements in the financing of the scheme be used for the optimum benefit of older people availing of private nursing home care and I have asked my Department to monitor the situation in conjunction with the Eastern Heath Board.
