Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2015
396. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that were approved for the nursing home support scheme fair deal but were awaiting payment approval at the end of each monthly period in 2014; the average waiting period for payment approval at the end of the prospective months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7066/15]
View answer397. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his views that a repeat of the extraordinarily high numbers that were awaiting payment under the nursing home support scheme during the latter half of 2014, with 2,000 plus persons awaiting payment support under the scheme during the latter half of the year, and in tandem, the extraordinary waiting period that arose, averaging four months at certain stages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7067/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 397 together.
The number of persons that were approved for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) and the average time spent on the national placement list awaiting funding under the NHSS is set out below by each month for 2014:
|
Month |
The Number of People on the National Placement List |
The Average Waiting Period on the National Placement List |
|
January 2014 |
629 |
4 weeks |
|
February 2014 |
756 |
5 weeks |
|
March 2014 |
913 |
5.5 weeks |
|
April 2014 |
1,043 |
7 weeks |
|
May 2014 |
1,265 |
8 weeks |
|
June 2014 |
1,465 |
11.5 weeks |
|
July 2014 |
1,688 |
12 weeks |
|
August 2014 |
1,842 |
14 weeks |
|
September 2014 |
2,040 |
15 weeks |
|
October 2014 |
2,135 |
15 weeks |
|
November 2014 |
1,898 |
14 weeks |
|
December 2014 |
1,411 |
11.7 weeks |
The budget for the NHSS in 2015 is €948.8m which includes an additional €10m to allow for the provision of an additional 300 long stay care places. This additional €10m has reduced the wait time for funding under the Scheme from circa 15 weeks to 11 weeks now.
