The Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, are administered by the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Admittance to a private nursing home is a private arrangement between the patient and the owner of the nursing home. My Department has no function in relation to the level of fees changed. There are three maximum rates of subvention payable, £90 per week, £120 per week and £150 per week, in accordance with three levels of dependency – medium, high, maximum. These rates are payable following the increase in the rates by 25% with effect from 1 April last.
A health board may pay more than the maximum rate of subvention relative to an individual's level of dependency, for example, in cases where personal funds are exhausted. Sections 22.3 and 22.4 of the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, permit health boards to contract beds in private nursing homes and to pay more than the maximum rates of subvention in such cases. The rate to be paid in making such an arrangement is a matter for determination between the private nursing home owner and the health board. However, the application of these provisions is to be considered by the individual health board concerned in the context of meeting increasing demands for subventions within available resources.
Under the winter initiative I was pleased to provide funding of £13.736 million for the contracting of private nursing home beds by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. The allocation to each agency was as follows:
