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

I thank the Senator for raising this matter in the Seanad, for his comments and for drawing attention to the HSE’s important and valuable patients’ private property accounts service, which provides a high standard of security for the finances of those in our care who would not otherwise be able to manage that themselves.

I acknowledge the Senator's reference to the reduction in the number of post offices bank branches, with the Bank of Ireland recently closing a number of its branches. Older persons do not have that same access to those institutions or the familiarity they may have had with staff working in local branches. Regardless of whether people are in the public or private system, we need to be able to support and protect them from financial abuse.

Safeguarding the finances of the people in our care is a very important matter for the Government, my Department and the HSE. That is why this system was established under the Health (Repayments Scheme) Act 2006. As previously mentioned, the question of whether the same or similar provisions could be put in place for patients of private health facilities has not been reviewed to date. It is a welcome and timely opportunity to have that discussion now and to examine the merit attached to it.

Considerations of any such reforms would have to include an examination of resourcing implications and the appropriate role, if any, of the public healthcare system. The Senator referred to the fair deal scheme and we support patients in that respect. We already support people in accessing healthcare and we should adopt a holistic approach to supporting a person.

An opportunity to consider the potential merits of broadening the application of this important service or developing a similar service for non-public patients may arise in the context of the Department's ongoing development of a national policy of adult safeguarding in the health sector. I have therefore asked the relevant team of officials to consider whether there would be merit in exploring the extension of the existing patients' private property account legislation or the introduction of any new provisions of similar safeguards to private patients and residents who might wish to avail of such a service. It would not apply to only to persons in nursing homes but to persons accessing services under mental health services, people in group homes or persons with intellectual disabilities in houses. I welcome the Senator’s question and look forward to working with the Minister on it.