Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004
122 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the charges which will be made to patients who occupy the proposed 500 private sector beds offering intermediate care for up to six weeks; and the system which will apply where patients continue to have nursing home needs after the six weeks have elapsed. [30642/04]
View answerThe patients to which the Deputy refers are a group of patients awaiting discharge from acute hospitals who have had their application for nursing home subvention or home care grant approved but who are awaiting a bed in the nursing home of their choice or the finalisation of some element of their home care package.
Patients would be accommodated in private nursing home beds for a period of up to six weeks following which they would be discharged to the nursing home of their choice or to their own home, with the support of a home care package. It is envisaged that a minimum of 70 beds will be required by the Eastern Regional Health Authority to support this initiative. It has been estimated that up to 500 people could be accommodated in these beds over a twelve month period under this initiative.
Proposals on the precise details of this initiative are being finalised and it is not possible at this stage to give any indication on what charges, if any, will apply.
123 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the charge which will be made to patients who occupy the 100 high depending beds in private nursing homes. [30643/04]
View answerThe Eastern Regional Health Authority is currently in discussions with the private nursing home sector to determine the potential for placing patients with high dependency needs in private nursing homes. These patients have completed their acute phase of their treatment and have been listed for public long-term care because of their particular medical care requirements.
Arising from these discussions, proposals will be submitted by the authority to my Department which will outline the extent to which the private nursing sector can cater for any or all of these patients. Proposals on the precise details of this initiative are being finalised and it is not possible at this stage to give any indication on what charges, if any, will apply.
