Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 2

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Services.

Nora Owen

Question:

124 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has given consideration to making services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists available in nursing homes where the State has acquired contract beds for medical card patients in view of the fact that if a person on a medical card is returned from an acute hospital bed to their home these services are available in the community but when they are sent to a nursing home they must await a place in a rehabilitation hospital which has long waiting lists to get any of these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19185/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

The role of the health boards in relation to private nursing homes, as provided for in the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, is twofold. First, they must ensure high standards of accommodation in the homes. Second, they must operate a subvention scheme towards the cost of nursing home care.

Under the Nursing Homes Act health boards are empowered to pay a subvention where a person has been assessed on the grounds of means and dependency.

Articles 30(b) and 31 of the Nursing Home (Care and Welfare) Regulations state that the registered proprietor and the person in charge of the nursing home shall ensure that when a person requires physiotherapy, occupational therapy or other health service such service is made available by the registered proprietor or by arrangement with the health board. These services may be provided by a health board to a nursing home at the request of the registered proprietor or person in charge upon such terms, charges and conditions and to such extent as the health board may determine, following discussion with the registered proprietor of the home. It is also open to a patient to make private arrangements for the provision of these services if they so wish.

Nora Owen

Question:

125 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will ensure that a decision is made that all medical card holders in nursing homes are eligible to get incontinence wear when they are admitted to private nursing homes in contract beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19186/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

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 my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, a letter was issued to the health boards-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. It also requested 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 will ask the health boards and the Eastern Regional Authority to put the arrangements in place 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.