Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The Senator is referring to an individual who is an inpatient at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. The patient has finished his acute phase of treatment and is on the hospital’s delayed discharge list as requiring long-term residential care. Government policy is to support older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. There will, however, always be a cohort of older people who require a long-term residential care option.

The nursing homes support scheme is a system of financial support for those assessed as needing long-term nursing home care. Anyone who is assessed as needing long-term nursing home care can avail of the scheme regardless of their age. The scheme provides financial support towards the cost of the standard components of nursing home care. Patients contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

The scheme has a net budget in 2016 of €940 million. This represents an increase of €43.1 million on the 2015 outturn. It is expected that the scheme will provide financial support to 22,989 clients on average per week in 2016. The purpose of the nursing homes support scheme is to provide a sustainable system of financial support for people in need of long-term nursing home care, which ensures such care is affordable for all who need it. Applicants are free to choose any public, voluntary or approved private nursing home in the State. The home must have availability and be able to cater for the applicant's particular needs.

On the Senator's specific query, Bloomfield Hospital is a 114-bed mental health hospital registered as an approved centre with the Mental Health Commission. The nursing homes support scheme, however, does not extend to either the disability or mental health sectors and it would contravene the statute underpinning the scheme to support a patient in this facility. The HSE is endeavouring to support the discharge of patients who have been deemed medically fit for discharge and require alternative supports, be that long-term care, home care or transitional care. The HSE has provided a list of alternative facilities that accept national nursing home scheme funding. The man was offered a place in Rathdrum public unit but it is understood this offer was not accepted. The HSE is working with the hospital social work team to find a suitable placement and the Clonskeagh community nursing unit is being considered as it has appropriate single-room accommodation and would be more accessible for the family. I hope this is the answer the Senator seeks.