Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 24 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 6

Written Answers. - Care of the Elderly.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

92 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the view expressed by many Irish nursing home administrators that the elderly are the first to feel the pinch with regard to budgetary cutbacks; his views on the impression that if there is a shortage of nurses the hospitals will make sure they are not short by simply poaching nursing home nurses; the plans if any, he has to redress the unfavourable impression which nursing homes have of the Department; and the measures by which he will increase nursing staff availability in nursing homes and additional resources for the care of the elderly. [14055/00]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

There has been a substantial increase in the level of additional funding provided for the development of services for older people in recent years. The amount of additional revenue funding has increased from £3 million in 1997 to £7 million in 1998 and to £16 million in 1999. It is intended to continue the expansion of resources for older people and additional revenue funding has risen to £23.6 million for 2000. When increased funding for nursing home subventions is included, the programme of development measures implemented for older people will cost approximately £30 million in 2000.

Significant increases in the level of capital resources have also been made available from £6.75 million in 1997, approximately £14 million in 1998, £17 million in 1999 to approximately £20 million in 2000. The national development plan will provide some £188 million capital funding to services for older people in the period 2001-06, inclusive. This is to enable significant progress in the provision of a comprehensive infrastructure of facilities for older people ranging from assessment and rehabilitation units, day hospitals, respite and day care to extended care.

Nurse recruitment is carried out on an ongoing basis in most hospitals. At any given time, significant numbers of nurses would be in the process of being appointed by employers or moving from one employment to another. However, there is no evidence that hospitals are poaching from nursing homes. The Deputy may be aware that the major Dublin hospitals have stepped-up their recruitment from abroad with significant success. Agreement has been reached between the relevant Departments on a procedure for fast-tracking immigration clearances and work permits for non-EU nurses. This procedure is of assistance to nursing homes, as well as hospitals. Data maintained by An Bord Altranais indicate that in recent years there has been a net inflow of nurses to Ireland. The inflow figures for 1999 show a dramatic increase to 3,181 in the number of nurses seeking to register here.

While the recruitment and retention of nurses is primarily a matter for individual employers, initiatives have been taken at national level or are being progressed with a view to stabilising the situation and, where possible, improving it. In particular, the number of nurse training places is being increased by 300 to 1,500 this year, while 1999 saw the largest intake of student nurses for many years. Also, 11 hospitals around the country provided back to nursing courses in 1999 for nurses wishing to return to the workforce. A total of 304 places were available. The expansion of these courses is aimed at maximising the available nursing workforce.

Nursing home proprietors are aware that considerable additional resources have been allocated to the nursing home subvention scheme in recent years. Expenditure on the scheme has increased from £4 million in 1993 when the scheme was introduced to £38.4 million in 2000. In the current year, additional funding of £5.4 million has been provided to meet the cost of the additional expenditure which is due to a number of factors. These include the increase in the number of people in receipt of subventions, their higher levels of dependency resulting in more people receiving the higher rates of subventions, and the change in the regulations whereby the ability of adult sons and-or daughters over 21 years of age to contribute is no longer taken into account. My priority is to ensure that health boards have adequate resources to meet increasing demands. The question of increasing the rates of subvention will be kept under review in light of the availability of funding and competing priorities.