Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Committee on Public Petitions

Nursing Home Casebook: Ombudsman, Mr. Peter Tyndall

1:30 pm

Photo of Shane CassellsShane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Ombudsman and his staff. They are here to discuss an issue that is of huge importance to us, as parliamentarians, in terms of our constituency work.

The increase in the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman in 2017 is notable. I visit nursing homes in my constituency on a regular basis. I want to acknowledge the level of care being provided by them. The Ombudsman notes in his report that there are 122 public nursing homes and 458 private nursing homes across the country and that they provide care for 30,000 residents, which is a substantial number of people. It is obvious from population demographics that we have a population that is going to age significantly over the coming years and, thus, there will be a greater requirement for provision in this area. The likelihood is that complaints to the Ombudsman's office will grow in tandem.

The Ombudsman has acknowledged that his role is in respect of the €1 billion in public money allocated to the nursing home care system, which is a substantial part of the health services spend. It is right and proper not only that the Ombudsman should have oversight in this regard but that there is engagement with the Oireachtas in terms of probing that spend. The issue of additional charges was highlighted recently in the Sunday Independentand by other media organisations. The Ombudsman referenced that people felt impoverished by the charges for engaging in what one might consider to be necessary daily services rather than social activities.

Will the Ombudsman elaborate on that?

Is there evidence of gouging in the sector by certain private nursing homes? The Ombudsman said that certain residents are left in a position whereby their grandchildren have more pocket money than they might from their pension income. At the time, the Department of Health distanced itself from the matter and it falls back to the Ombudsman to deal with it. The Department argued that it is a matter between residents and nursing homes because of the private contract that exists between the proprietors of nursing homes and residents. Who is looking out for the resident and protecting him or her? Is it a case that there can be intervention and an examination? The majority of residents and families would be quite interested to hear from the Ombudsman today and it is one matter I would like to be addressed.

In the context of contracts of care, it is quite significant for the Ombudsman to state that mortality rates can and do rise as a result of patients being moved. I have read the comments of the Ombudsman, particularly those relating to dementia care and the difficulties that nursing homes can face in providing adequate care. We must be cognisant of those increasing mortality rates.

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