The total amount of funding allocated to the nursing home subvention scheme has been significantly increased by this Government and reached £38.5 million in 2000. Over £5 million in additional funding was allocated in 2000 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 health boards no longer take account of the ability of adult sons and/or daughters to contribute towards the cost of their parents care. A further £4 million is included in the Estimates for 2001 to meet increasing demands on the scheme. The question of increasing rates of subvention, and amending general rules governing the assessment of means, are being kept under review in light of the availability of funding, other competing priorities and the results of the expenditure review of the nursing home subvention scheme currently being undertaken by my Department in association with the Department of Finance.
The Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, are administered by the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. I should point out that a health board may pay more than the maximum rate of subvention relative to an individual's level of dependency, for example in cases where personal funds are exhausted. Sections 22.3 and 22.4 of the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, permit health boards to contract beds in private nursing homes and to pay more than the maximum rates of subvention in such cases. The application of these provisions is a matter for the individual health board concerned in the context of meeting increasing demands for subventions within available resources.
