(Limerick East): The information which the Deputy is seeking is contained in the table I will circulate in the Official Report.
As the Deputy is aware, each applicant for nursing home subvention is subject to an assessment of dependency, means and circumstances. Article 7.1 of the subvention regulations obliges a health board to follow the procedures set out in the First Schedule to the regulations when assessing the dependency of a person who has applied for a nursing home subvention. The difference in the subvention rates reflects mainly the different levels of dependency of people applying for subventions. It may also reflect the extent to which health boards accommodate the most heavily dependent patients in their own hospitals and homes and the availability of health board long stay accommodation.
I might add that a working group comprised of officials of my Department and of the health boards is currently reviewing the operation of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990. The issue of the difference in dependency levels and subvention rates across the health boards is being examined in depth by the working group. I hope to receive the report of this group in the near future.
Health Board
|
Number and percentage of persons at 28.2.1995 in receipt of subvention of
|
Medium
|
High
|
Maximum
|
Eastern Health Board
|
277(13.1%)
|
357(20.6%)
|
1151(66.3%)
|
Midland Health Board
|
62(19.1%)
|
226(69.8%)
|
36(11.1%)
|
Mid-Western Health Board
|
216(27.7%)
|
280(35.9%)
|
283(36.3%)
|
North-Eastern Health Board
|
91(23.5%)
|
116(30%)
|
180(46.5%)
|
North-Western Health Board
|
131(32.5%)
|
124(30.8%)
|
1481(36.7%)
|
South-Eastern Health Board
|
116(28.9%)
|
125(31.1%)
|
160(40%)
|
Southern Health Board
|
156(31.1%)
|
188(37.5%)
|
157(31.3%)
|
Western Health Board
|
160(28.5%)
|
247(44%)
|
155(27.5%)
|
Total
|
1159(23.2%)
|
1563(31.3%)
|
2270(45.5%)
|