Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2019
464. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the budget in 2019 for the fair deal scheme; the amount spent under the fair deal scheme to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47766/19]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for those in need of long-term nursing home care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings. The applicant can choose any public, voluntary or approved private nursing home. The home must have availability and be able to cater for the applicant's particular needs.
As outlined in the HSE's National Service Plan for 2019, the NHSS is expected to support 23,042 people in 2019. The NHSS budget for 2019 is €985.8m which is an increase of €24.3m over its 2018 budget.
The year-to-date spend to 30 September 2019 for the NHSS is €748.9m. An additional €13m has been allocated to the Scheme for 2019 in the context of managing system demands during the winter period. This will help to support continued access to long-term residential care under the HSE Winter Plan 2019/20 and to keep the waiting time for access to support under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme at 4 weeks to the end of the year.
