Pearse Doherty
Ceist:98. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to receive home help supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2141/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraHome Help Service Provision
Ceisteanna (98)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Civil Registration Documentation
Ceisteanna (99)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:99. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount collected by year and category in each of the years 2014 to 31 December 2017 for the issuing of birth, marriage and death certificates; the location in which revenue that is collected for the issuing of certificates is lodged to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2154/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Civil Registration Service is operated by the Health Service Executive on behalf of the General Register Office under the aegis of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. I have referred your question to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to you.
Home Help Service
Ceisteanna (100)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:100. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health his views regarding a name change for home help professionals which adequately reflects their qualifications and skills (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2155/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I can confirm that my Department did not object to any name changes proposed for Home Helps. I understand that agreement between the parties was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission on 10 January 2018, on various issues, including a new title for the grade. A time frame for the implementation of the provisions of the agreement will be determined between the parties.
Home Help Service Provision
Ceisteanna (101)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Ceist:101. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to provide a home help to a person (details supplied). [2157/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Long-Term Illness Scheme
Ceisteanna (102)
John Deasy
Ceist:102. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health his plans to make the freestyle libre diabetes monitoring system available under the long term illness scheme. [2162/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Nursing Home Services
Ceisteanna (103, 127)
Fergus O'Dowd
Ceist:103. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the way in which he will regulate for and ensure transparency regarding additional extra charges imposed by nursing homes on residents; the protections he will put in place regarding residents who are unable to participate in additional charges for activities by reason of their medical condition such as dementia, physical disability and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2173/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFergus O'Dowd
Ceist:127. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if regulation is being sought to examine oversight of additional charges for daily activities applied by nursing homes when a person is incapable of taking part in activities charged under this premise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2280/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 127 together.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as A Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost.
The NHSS 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 daily living; and
- Laundry service.
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. In determining the services covered by the NHSS it was considered very important that the care recipient and the taxpayer would be protected and would not end up paying for the same services twice. For this reason, medications and aids that are already prescribed for individuals under an existing scheme are not included in the services covered by the NHSS, as this would involve effectively paying twice for the same service.
Although the NHSS covers core living expenses, residents can still incur some costs in a nursing home, such as social programmes, newspapers or hairdressing. In recognition of this, anyone in receipt of financial support under the NHSS retains at least 20% of their income. The minimum amount that is retained is the equivalent of 20% of the State Pension (Non-Contributory). An operator should not seek payment from residents for items which are covered by 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 the contract. The Department of Health and the HSE are not a party to such contracts which are concluded between each resident and the private or voluntary 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.
I have met with both Nursing Homes Ireland and Age Action to discuss this issue in detail. In order to improve the transparency of these additional charges, I outlined that a schedule of charges should be provided to potential residents on enquiry to an individual nursing home, rather than at the point of admission. Nursing Homes Ireland undertook to advise their members to do so. I have also recently met with the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Office of the Ombudsman and HIQA to discuss this matter further.
I have asked the Interdepartmental/Agency Working Group established to oversee the implementation of certain recommendations contained in the 2015 Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to also consider this matter and examine the options that might be available, as part of its ongoing work.
A small group of representatives from the Department of Health and the HSE are to preform an examination of the issue of additional charges in nursing homes. They will report their findings and recommendations to the Interdepartmental/Agency Working Group.
I am committed to ensuring that our older population are protected, that they get the care that they deserve, and that they have access to all of the information they need in order to be able to make an informed decision, especially at such a vulnerable stage in their lives.