Vol. 537 No. 5
299 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if those who have a medical card and are in receipt of subvention from the Mid-Western Health Board, qualify for an allowance for incontinence wear (details supplied). [16572/01]
Article 16(1) of the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, provides that individuals resident in private nursing homes who are in receipt of a subvention from the health board may not be charged extra for any service which is considered to be essential to their maintenance in the home and common practice in most nursing homes. Such services include bed and board, nursing care appropriate to the level of dependency of the person and incontinence wear.
Arrangements are currently in place for the supply of incontinence wear by health boards to medical card holders living in the community. On 26 February, on the instructions of the Minister for Health and Children, a letter was issued to the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority requesting that the boards ensure that medical card holders who have entered, or will enter, private nursing homes, retain their eligibility for incontinence wear under the GMS scheme and that all medical card holders in receipt of a subvention be supplied with incontinence wear on the same basis as if they were residing in the community.
This request has logistical implications for the boards, including assessment and distribution issues. I am advised by the Mid-Western Health Board that the administration arrangements to implement this decision have not as yet been finalised. However, I am asking the board to put in place the arrangements as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, incontinence wear should still be supplied by private nursing home owners as provided for in article 16(1) of the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations, 1993.
