Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A nursing home can be an appropriate care option where the person concerned has a clinically assessed complex medical and social care requirement that cannot be supported in the person’s home. However, as identified in the Ombudsman's report, Wasted Lives, for some people under the age of 65 nursing homes are not an appropriate placement and alternative, more suitable supported-living solutions are needed to give them greater independence and choice in their daily lives.

Measures to prevent young persons from entering nursing homes continue to be supported through a range of services, including respite, home support and personal assistance services. There is a clear Government commitment to reduce and provide a pathway to eliminate the practice of inappropriately accommodating young people with serious disabilities in nursing homes. Funding is being provided through the HSE national service plan to support appropriate transition of young people from nursing homes. The Ombudsman’s report contains a series of findings and 19 associated recommendations, action on 17 of which is being led by the HSE. Two recommendations are at Department level.

In October 2022, the HSE established an integrated steering committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations, with membership drawn from acute hospitals, older persons, disability and primary care, along with clinical leads and representatives. Additionally, the HSE has established a programme office and an implementation team. This team has been divided into five workstreams addressing various areas of work. To date, work on 71% of the recommendations is under way across the workstreams. An important element of the work is ascertaining the needs of those who are under 65 and in nursing homes. Work is under way to establish this through the appropriate surveys. The information collected in these surveys will be used to identify people with a disability who may be inappropriately living in nursing homes and to enable planning for the most appropriate health and social care supports in the most appropriate setting.

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