Seán Sherlock
Question:757. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes currently in negotiations on funding issues with the NTPF, by county, in tabular form. [31292/23]
View answerTuesday, 27 June 2023
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The long-established statutory mechanism through which private and voluntary nursing homes are funded was established by the Oireachtas under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This legislation outlines the process for private and voluntary providers to negotiate the prices for their services with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following these negotiations and are based on the NTPF’s cost criteria, such as costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home, local market prices, historic prices and overall budgetary capacity. Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 the NTPF has statutory independence, and there is no role for Ministers or the Department of Health in negotiations with individual nursing homes.
I cannot comment on individual NTPF negotiations and it must be appreciated that this is a matter for each individual nursing home and the NTPF. Nevertheless, it is important that lines of communication are at all times maintained during the negotiation process. Overall, approximately 425 private nursing homes negotiate with the NTPF. The Department of Health and I have regular interaction with the NTPF and met them recently to discuss ways to support the sector, where necessary and appropriate, to complement the normal process of negotiating rate increases when contracts are renewed. Budget 2023 saw an over €40 million in additional funding for the Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) which will provide for an uplift in the maximum prices chargeable by private and voluntary nursing homes, as negotiated. Anyone who has had a scheduled renegotiation of their Deed of Agreement this year with the NTPF has seen a significant uplift. In addition, other options to support nursing homes are also being explored, such as to help with the often costly nature of compliance for nursing homes under necessary HIQA regulations. I am conscious of private and voluntary nursing homes that are not scheduled to renegotiate their Deed of Agreement in 2023 and other options are being considered. One of the options under consideration is for nursing home providers to agree to a shorter contract duration with the NTPF.
The only mechanism for funding from the public purse for nursing home residents is Fair Deal and it is really important that private and voluntary providers continue to engage in the process as set out in the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act 2009.