Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Tully for raising the boarding out scheme, in which she is very interested. The Government is committed to supporting people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality, long-term residential care where this is appropriate. We will continue to develop and improve health services in all regions of the country to meet this objective and to ensure quality and patient safety.

The 1993 regulations provide a framework for the operation of a boarding out scheme. These regulations include specific conditions relating to maintenance, care and welfare of an older person in a private house. The intention of the scheme was to provide social and personal care to older people who did not want, or were unable, to live on their own but wanted to remain in their local community. Under the regulations, the HSE must be satisfied that the house is suitable and the householder is fit to look after the person accessing the scheme. The householder must provide suitable and sufficient care, nutritious and various food and adequately attend to the needs of the person. The householder must also respect the privacy of the individual. Not more than six people can be boarded out in one house.

The regulations also set out standards regarding the suitability of accommodation, cleanliness, safety and other related matters. The regulations provide that the HSE may pay to the householder an amount not exceeding half the weekly rate of the non-contributory State pension in respect of each person accessing the scheme. In addition, the person being boarded out must pay to the householder an amount which is agreed between the HSE, the householder and the individual boarder. It was not intended that the scheme would provide medical or nursing care beyond the levels normally provided in a person's own home. Those availing of the scheme require a level of social care which is delivered by people who are funded to provide this service through the scheme, together with contributions from the older person.

The boarding out scheme has diminished over time and is now only available in a limited number of areas across the country. According to the HSE, there are 17 boarding out facilities across three of the CHOs. In 2017, the HSE completed a review of the scheme which concluded that an expansion was warranted. The last year has been very challenging for the health service in terms of responding to the current pandemic. This has highlighted the continuing importance of supporting people, including our older population, to access the right care in the right place at the right time. The boarding out scheme facilitates older people to remain in their communities where they might otherwise be accommodated in residential care. It can also help to reduce social isolation. While the use of the boarding out scheme by the HSE has traditionally been small, there is value in exploring it further. I am pleased to advise the House that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has asked officials in the Department to consider this model of care and the relevant regulations in the context of our overall commitment to enhancing opportunities for older people to stay in their homes and communities for longer.

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