Bernard Allen
Question:261 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to introduce a licensing system to allow for proper planning in terms of the actual need for nursing home services. [3084/00]
Written Answers. - Nursing Homes.
Bernard Allen
Question:280 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to examine the potential conflict for health boards in regulating, financing and direct provision of nursing home services. [3103/00]
Bernard Allen
Question:281 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department has studied the Irish Nursing Homes Association's document Sectoral Study of Longterm Care; and the plans, if any, he has to implement a recommendation to introduce legislation to ensure that there is a consistency in the standards of care which would be applicable to both the public and private sectors. [3104/00]
Bernard Allen
Question:282 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to bring subvention payments for nursing homes up to an acceptable level in view of the fact subventions for nursing homes have decreased from 60% to 35% of the cost of care. [3105/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 261, 280, 281 and 282 together.
I am aware of the contents of the document referred to by the Deputy. The Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, gives powers to health boards to enforce high standards of accommodation and care in nursing homes, incorporating a system of twice yearly inspections by health board personnel. The Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations set out the standards with which nursing homes must comply in order to be registered by a health board. I am not aware of any grounds for potential conflict for health boards as suggested by the Deputy. I am satisfied with the present system of registration and inspections and I have no plans to introduce a licensing system which could result in limiting access to privately run and commercially operated nursing homes.
Under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, the health boards provide subventions to assist persons in meeting the costs of nursing home care; however, it was never intended that subventions would meet the full costs involved.
There are three rates of subvention payable, £70, £95 and £120, in accordance with three levels of dependency, medium, high, maximum, which are eligible for subvention. It had been hoped to increase the rates of subvention this year but it has not been possible to do so as substantial additional funding in excess of £5.3 million has had to be provided to meet the rising costs of the scheme. The additional expenditure is due to a number of factors such as the increase in the number of people in receipt of subventions, their higher levels of dependency, resulting in more people receiving the higher rates of subventions, and the change in the regulations whereby the ability of adult sons and/or daughters over 21 years of age to contribute is no longer taken into account. The amount made available for the scheme this year is £38.4 million. My priority is to ensure that health boards have adequate resources to meet increasing demands. The question of increasing the rates of subvention will be kept under review in light of the availability of funding and competiting priorities.