Vol. 515 No. 3
198 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason nursing home subvention rates have not been increased since their introduction in September 1993; and the reason the anticipated review did not take place in 1995. [5938/00]
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, £120 – in accordance with three levels of dependency – medium, high, maximum. The amount of funding allocated to supporting older people in private nursing homes has been significantly increased by this Government in recent years. For example, over £5 million in additional funding has been allocated in the current year to provide for an 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 competing priorities.
An implementation group on the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, was established in 1993 to monitor the Act during the first year of its implementation. Subsequently, a working group to review the operation of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 was set up in 1994. This working group recommended amendments to the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, which are now reflected in SI No. 225 of 1996. This statutory instrument makes provision whereby health boards may pay more than the maximum rate of subvention relative to an individual's level of dependency. This amendment also permits health boards to contract beds in private nursing homes above the number contracted on 1 September 1993 and to pay more than the maximum rates of subvention in such cases. This amendment is to facilitate health boards which do not have sufficient accommodation in their hospitals and homes to meet the needs of those requiring nursing care and which have traditionally relied on the nursing home sector to meet this need.
