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Nursing Home Subventions.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004

Thursday, 2 December 2004

Questions (72, 73, 74, 75)

Liam Twomey

Question:

50 Dr. Twomey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to regularise the subvention payments across the new HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31752/04]

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Gerard Murphy

Question:

72 Mr. Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends increasing the maximum subvention rate to local offices that will not be able to benefit from the plan to put beds in private nursing homes, as announced in the Estimates for 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31754/04]

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Bernard Allen

Question:

82 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she plans to dramatically increase subvention payments to take the burden of care away from many families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31753/04]

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Pat Breen

Question:

123 Mr. P. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the contribution made by health boards or by the HSE after 1 January 2005, in accordance with the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 and the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations 1993 will alter in any way in the future; her plans to improve the subvention awarded to patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31751/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 72, 82 and 123 together.

The Deputy may wish to note that a working group, comprising of all stakeholders, has been established by my Department to review the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 and associated regulations. This follows on from the publication of Professor Eamon O'Shea's report, Review of the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme, and the Mercer report on the Future Financing of Long-Term Care In Ireland which was commissioned by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The review will also take into account issues arising from the interpretation of certain aspects of the 1990 Act and regulations which have arisen over the years and the Ombudsman's report on the operation of the scheme.

The objective of the review is to develop a scheme which will be transparent, offer a high standard of care for clients, provide equity within the system to include standardised dependency and means testing, be less discretionary; provide both a home and nursing home subvention depending on need; be consistent in implementation throughout the country; be financially sustainable and draw on experience of the operation of the existing scheme.

At this stage it is not proposed to make any changes to the nursing home subvention scheme pending the outcome of the review of the scheme which is currently being carried out by the working group.

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