Vol. 553 No. 6
219 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has made sufficient funding available to the Southern Health Board to deal with the backlog of applications for enhanced subvention for nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14843/02]
As the Deputy is aware, sections 22.3 and 22.4 of the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations, 1993, allow health boards the discretion to contract beds in private nursing homes and to pay more than the maximum rates of subvention in such cases. However, the application of these provisions is a matter for each health board in the context of meeting the requirements of the subvention scheme within the board's revenue allocation as notified annually in the letters of determination. This is in keeping with the provisions of the Health Amendment) (No 3) Act, 1996.
In 1997, the funding available for the scheme was £27 million, in 2001, the sum was £52 million and in 2002 the funding available is £72 million –€91.4 million. In recognition of the issues involved, this Department made significant additional resources of more than £1.2 million –€1.5million available to the Southern Health Board at the end of 2001. Furthermore, the Southern Health Board received an additional £3.35 million –€4.24 million this year including a sum of €2.641 million to respond to extra pressures on the scheme.
The Southern Health Board has received a significantly increased number of claims from patients for enhanced payments in accordance with Articles 22.3 and 22.4. It is a matter for the board to determine the extent to which it can meet such claims consistent with its requirement to live within its overall revenue allocation and taking account of the fact that such enhanced payments are discretionary. However, in the interest of avoiding hardship to individual patients, my Department has been in regular contact with the board in an effort to find a solution which would take cognisance of the considerations outlined above. This solution involves the payment of enhanced subventions on quite a significant scale.
It is the Department's intention to remain in contact with all health boards throughout the year on this and other issues.
