Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 July 2023
201. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his views on the processes and discussions that led to the decision to add an additional 18 months to the existing six-month timeframe for closing nursing homes to repurpose their businesses (HIQA Guidelines). [33024/23]
View answerThe Government takes the closure of nursing homes very seriously. Ensuring that the welfare and safety of residents is secured when nursing homes close is of the utmost importance. It is essential that when nursing homes are intending to close or cease participating in the Nursing Home Support Scheme, that residents and their families must be consulted with, and given appropriate notice so that new homes can be found and residents can move in a safe, planned way. There is a legal requirement that providers must give at least six months’ notice to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) if they intend to close. This provides residents, families and public health authorities appropriate time to respond effectively. It became apparent in late August last year that a small number of active nursing homes had chosen, or were seriously considering, to convert into accommodation centres for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Other active nursing homes were known to be in official negotiations or to be considering this approach.Given the challenges currently being faced in the nursing home sector and noticing a small trend emerging, Minister Donnelly and I agreed with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, to change the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection in order to remove from consideration active nursing homes that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022.The Department of Health developed this policy in response to legitimate concerns for the welfare and safety of nursing home residents, with responsibility for implementing this policy lying exclusively with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as the procurement of accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection falls under their remit. Neither I nor Minister Donnelly, nor the Department of Health for that matter, has any role in the procurement of accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Questions in respect of the legal basis for the procurement of accommodation should be directed to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.The intention behind this position has been to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date remained unaffected if they wished to enter into contracts as accommodation providers.Following review of the policy at the end of April, the decision has been made to adopt a more flexible approach and to allow the conversion of nursing homes into accommodation centres for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection after 18 months following deregistration from the Health Information and Quality Agency Chief Inspector’s register.This allows for an appropriate closure process for residents and staff of nursing homes, while preventing facilities from being empty indefinitely where they might provide a source of accommodation for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection. The Government continues to prioritise the best interests of nursing home residents to ensure that their welfare, care and well-being is ensured whilst simultaneously ensuring that nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.
