Article 29 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009 (S.I. no. 236 of 2009) requires that the person in charge of the nursing home shall ensure that, insofar as practicable, residents are discharged from the centre in a planned and safe manner and discharges are discussed, planned for and agreed with the residents and, where appropriate, with their family and/or carer. This underpins criterion 10.7 of the National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People that "...the resident is discharged from the residential care setting in a planned manner and the discharge is discussed, planned for and agreed with the resident or his/her representative." Nursing homes are also required under the regulations to have in place a written operational policy on "Temporary absence and discharge of residents" along with operating procedures governing the application of this policy.