Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014
241. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if it is his policy that the National Treatment Purchase Fund ask nursing homes that are not charging for social programmes to so charge and to give the discount to the NTPF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7232/14]
View answer243. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the way the National Treatment Purchase Fund defines a local area and the local average rate; if he will supply a copy of the NTPF policy document on the said definition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7236/14]
View answer244. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will provide full details on the National Treatment Purchase Fund policy not to prepay for future events or take account of future capital expenditure or the future impact of Health Information and Quality Authority standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7238/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 241, 243 and 244 together.
In order to be an "approved nursing home" for the purposes of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, all private and voluntary nursing homes must negotiate and agree a price for the cost of care with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). This is a necessary feature of the Scheme due to the commitment by the State to meet the full balance of the cost of care over and above a person's contribution. The NTPF has statutory independence in the performance of this function and, in carrying it out, it must ensure value for money for both the individual and the State. The NTPF negotiates with each nursing home individually and may examine the records and accounts of nursing homes as part of the process.
The NTPF assesses nursing home process under four criteria:
- costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the nursing home and evidence of value for money;
- price(s) previously charged;
- local market price; and
- Budgetary constraints and the obligation on the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.
Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, services and supports which are common to the vast majority of nursing home residents are included in the cost of care. These are:
- nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
- bed and board;
- basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living; and
- laundry service.
Goods and services that are already available to individuals under an existing scheme are not included in the goods and services covered by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme. A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the Medical Card Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme, is unaffected by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.
Part 8 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009 stipulates that the registered provider of the nursing home must agree a contract with each resident within one month of their admission. This contract must include details of the services to be provided to that resident and the fees to be charged. Residents should not be charged fees which are not set out in the contract.
The Deputy will be aware that the Nursing Homes Support Scheme is currently the subject of a review. The terms of reference for this review are as follows:
Taking account of Government policy, demographic trends and the fiscal situation:
- To examine the on-going sustainability of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme,
- To examine the overall cost of long term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating/setting prices,
- Having regard to 1 and 2 above, to consider the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services,
- To consider the extension of the scheme to community based services and to other sectors (Disability and Mental Health), and
- To make recommendations for the future operation and management of the Scheme.
