Nursing Home Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2012

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Ceisteanna (72)

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

71 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the total number of public nursing homes at respective locations throughout the country; the number of patients therein; the number of such patients requiring long-term high dependency nursing care; the extent to which a similar profile of patients is accommodated in private nursing homes; the basis on which comparisons have been made between the cohort of high dependency patients in private and public nursing homes with particular reference to cross comparison; the extent to which it is proposed to meet the needs of high dependent patients in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8386/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch)

The latest validated information from the Health Service Executive reports that there are currently 128 public residential units in operation across the country providing 7,954 beds (this includes temporary closed beds). Of these, 5,914 are designated long-stay beds under the Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS). The balance (2,040) provide short-term care, i.e. rehabilitation, respite, convalescent and palliative care. The breakdown of these beds is set out in the following table.

Region	Number of Units	Designated NHSS Beds	Other Beds	Total Beds
HSE DML	25	1,615	346	1,961
HSE West	44	1,458	746	2,204
HSE South	38	1,719	721	2440
HSE DNE	21	1,122	227	1,349
Total	128	5,914	2,040	7,954

The Department of Health carries out a survey of long-stay units each year. Each long-stay unit (public, private and voluntary) is sent a questionnaire and the responses are collated by the Department. The aim of the survey is to provide statistics on the number of beds available for long-term care, how these beds are used and the types of residents who occupy these beds. The results of the surveys are used to prepare the Long-Stay Activity Statistics Reports which are published on the Department's website.

The Long-Stay Activity Statistics for 2010 (the most recent year available) provides the following information in respect of the Percentage Distribution of Patients Resident by Level of Dependency in long-term care as at 31 December that year. The Deputy should be mindful that these are self reported survey results.

Survey Response Rate — 80%

Table B6 — Long-Stay Units by Category: Percentage Distribution of Patients Resident by Level of Dependency
Region	Low Dependency	Medium Dependency	High Dependency	Maximum Dependency	Total
HSE Extended Care Unit	4.9	11.5	26.4	57.3	100%
HSE Welfare Home	9.5	17.9	18.4	54.3	100%
Voluntary Home	10.1	21.6	28.9	39.5	100%
Voluntary Welfare Home	34.3	12.6	32.6	20.6	100%
Private Nursing Home	15.3	24.9	31.8	27.9	100%
Total	12.6	21.4	30	35.9	100%

The HSE is currently piloting a single assessment tool that will uniformly assess dependency levels.