Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
478. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some nursing homes are charging residents, or in some cases a resident's family, for taxis to their hospital appointments while also charging them for the associated care assistance cost, having a care assistant travel with them, where in some cases transport is already available and free. [30627/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe legislation underpinning the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) requires each private nursing home to negotiate and agree a price for long-term residential care services with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) should they wish to be an approved nursing home for the purposes of the Scheme. The NTPF has statutory independence in the performance of its function, and negotiates with each nursing home on an individual basis.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:
- Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
- Bed and board;
- Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of everyday living; and
- Laundry service.
Additional charges may not be levied in respect of the standard components of care. A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the medical card scheme or the drugs payment scheme, is unaffected by participation in the NHSS or residence in a nursing home. A nursing home operator should not seek payment from residents for items which are provided under the NHSS, the medical card or any other existing scheme.
Part 7 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013 stipulates that the registered provider of the nursing home must agree a contract in writing with each resident on their admission to the nursing home. This contract must include details of the services to be provided to that resident and the fees to be charged. Residents should never be charged fees which are not set out in this contract. The Department of Health are not a party to such contracts which are concluded between each resident and their nursing home.
Registered providers of nursing home care are obliged to provide an accessible and effective complaints procedure. Concerns about additional charges should in the first instance be taken up with the nursing home provider. The Office of the Ombudsman can examine complaints about the actions of a range of public bodies and, from 24 August 2015, complaints relating to the administrative actions of private nursing homes. The Office of the Ombudsman normally only deals with a complaint once the individual has already gone through the complaints procedure of the private nursing home concerned.
