Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 June 2007
247 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children if the inspection teams report on the standard of nursing home care and its adequacy and inadequacy; if not the reason for same; and her plans to address this shortfall if it exists. [18162/07]
Amharc ar fhreagra248 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of nursing homes that remain to be inspected; and when a nationwide inspection will be completed. [18163/07]
Amharc ar fhreagra249 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children if adequate resources, manpower and funding is in place to carry out comprehensive annual inspections in all nursing homes; if State nursing homes are included in these inspections; and if not, the reason for same. [18164/07]
Amharc ar fhreagra250 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children if an independent inspectorate has been established, funded and staffed; and if it will inspect State nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18166/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 250, inclusive, together.
The present standards for nursing homes are set out in the 1993 Care and Welfare Regulations. The HSE inspects private nursing homes on the basis of these standards. Inspections are carried out on an on-going basis and there is now in place a national standardised approach to nursing home inspections across the country, and this underpins the inspection process. All inspections are now unannounced and nursing homes are now inspected at least twice a year.
The HSE has advised that in 2006 there were 437 private nursing homes in operation across the country and they completed 870 inspections. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since July 2006 the inspection reports have been made available on the HSE's website. I am also pleased to say that I provided an additional €6m for the development of the nursing home inspection process in 2007/8.
In addition to the work undertaken by the HSE on inspections, I published Draft National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in January 2007. The standards, when finalised, will replace those set out in the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993. Importantly, the new standards will apply to all residential settings (public, private and voluntary) where older people are cared for and for which registration is required.
As the Health Act, 2007 provides that this enhanced inspection function will be taken over by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), I formally handed over the draft standards to the Authority to be finalised following a public consultation. A wide ranging working group was immediately established by HIQA and the next step in the process will see the Authority publish their draft for public consultation prior to finalising the standards. Regulations will then be drafted by my Department to give statutory effect to the new standards.
The Chief Inspector of Social Services will then be required to monitor, against these standards set by HIQA, residential care services provided to older persons (amongst others) in public, private and voluntary settings.
HIQA was formally established on 15th May 2007 and has received its allocation for 2007. The staffing complement for the organisation including all of the posts for the Inspectorate has been agreed with my Department. I understand that HIQA is already in the process of recruiting its senior management team. Realistically the organisation must be given time to get its full complement of staff in place.
The HSE is also liaising with HIQA to facilitate transition arrangements as we move towards the new system of inspection in line with the recently enacted legislation.
