Vol. 526 No. 4
267 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if, in regard to the case of a person (details supplied) who suffers with Alzheimer's disease and needs permanent hospital care but has been refused a subvention from the health board as he is in a private hospital rather than a nursing home, he will reconsider this very doubtful distinction and allow people paying £500 a week for care to be eligible for a subvention. [26949/00]
The provision of health services in the Dublin area is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority.
I have asked the chief executive of the authority to investigate this case and respond directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency. The hospital in question is a private psychiatric hospital, registered in accordance with the Mental Treatment Acts. As a result, subvention cannot be availed of as the hospital cannot be registered in accordance with the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990. I understand, however, that there are other facilities on the same campus which are both registered and attract nursing home subvention. If the patient were to transfer to one of those facilities, he may qualify for nursing home subvention. This transfer would be subject to the medical care needs of the patient being appropriate to either facility.
