Vol. 533 No. 5
117 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Cork who was an unsuccessful applicant for a nursing home subvention in respect of his father can have his application reviewed and approved as the decision to disallow the application was based on the fact that family means were assessed. [9389/01]
The report of the Ombudsman into the nursing home subvention scheme identified a number of issues relating to the operation of the scheme and the findings of the report are being fully considered in my Department. It is the intention of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, to bring proposals to Government in relation to whatever additional measures may be necessary arising from the Ombudsman's report and the forthcoming expenditure review of the subvention scheme, together with experience gained from the operation of the scheme since its inception in 1993.
Our immediate priority is to ensure that the two aspects of the regulations that have the most direct impact on nursing home patients and their families are fully addressed without delay. Arrangements have already been made to enable nursing home patients and their families who may be due payments arising from the provisions in the regulations relating to the retention of one fifth of the rate of non-contributory old age pension for personal use to be refunded speedily.
It has also been decided that payments should be made to those who were adversely affected by the provision in the regulations which allowed for the assessment of circumstances of adult sons and daughters and which was removed with effect from 1 January 1999. A group representing my Department and the health boards and Eastern Regional Health Authority has been established and is putting in place procedures to ensure that moneys will be paid in a uniform manner as quickly as possible to those whose subvention was unfavourably affected by this regulation. It is expected that these payments will cost in the region of £6 million.
However, as the Deputy can appreciate, this will be a complex exercise involving, inter alia, difficult issues of traceability, and it may take some time to complete. Nevertheless, I can offer assurance that every effort will be made to make payments as quickly as possible.
In the particular case referred to by the Deputy, I have asked the chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board to investigate the matter and reply directly.
