Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Senators know, this is carers' week. A very important contribution to care is the assistance provided by the private nursing sector. Nursing Homes Ireland made a presentation yesterday. Unproductive meetings are one of the issues that the organisation has raised with me, which I am sure it has raised with other Oireachtas Members. When its members meet the Department of Health to discuss something they are advised that the matter is one for the HSE, but when they meet the HSE they are advised that the matter is one for the Department. NHI has suggested - I have raised this matter previously - that a forum be set up to ensure there is clear communication. When the organisation meets the Department it wants to also meet the HSE, the IMO and the INMO in order to deal with all of the issues. The NHI also wants a formal structure set up to deal with care of the elderly, not just with regard to nursing homes but also associated areas such as delayed discharges in hospitals. A forum would ensure that all of the issues could be dealt with. It might only meet every four or six months but it would ensure the attendance of all of the people involved in providing elderly care. Even though I have already brought the matter to the attention of the Minister for Health, I ask the Leader to do the same because I want the issue to form part of the debate on health and long-term planning.

The provision of elderly care will be challenging over the next 15 years because the number of people over the age of 65 will increase from 600,000 to over 1 million by 2031. Therefore, we need to ensure that we provide services sufficient to meet these challenges.

Let me state another important figure. At present, 51% of all hospital beds are occupied by people over the age of 65, which poses a challenge, particularly with a growing elderly population. We must provide more services in order to tackle the discharge process in hospitals. We need to debate this important issue. I ask that the Minister, his Department and the HSE work together and take this challenge on board rather than continue with the constant buck-passing that has gone on for years. We need to create an efficient and effective service but we can only do so by working together. I ask the Leader to bring this matter to the attention of the Minister for Health and I want it to form part of our future debate with him.