asked the Minister for Health if he will allow a derogation of the 1985 regulations governing nursing homes, which do not allow any new nursing homes to be approved for taking public patients on receiving health board subvention, to the Southern Health Board in view of the serious shortage of geriatric beds in the region.
Written Answers. - Nursing Homes Regulations.
158.
The Health (Homes for Incapacitated Persons) Regulations 1985 do not deal with the approval of nursing homes for the purpose of subventions by health boards. Section 54 of the Health Act, 1970 empowers the Minister for Health to approve nursing homes for subvention purposes. Because of financial constraints, no new homes have been approved under this section since 1980. Health boards may with my approval subvent beds in nursing homes under section 26 of the Health Act, 1970. The Southern Health Board have not requested my approval to subvent additional nursing home beds in the region.
The relationship of health boards to private nursing homes has been examined by the Working Party on Services for the Elderly. The working party have completed their report and will be submitting it to me shortly. The future relationship of health boards and nursing homes will be examined in light of the recommendations of this report.