Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she made any departmental investigations to ascertain whether there is capacity in the private nursing home sector to look after high dependency patients; the number of such places; the locations of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4278/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the procurement of beds in the private nursing home sector for high dependency patients, where appropriate.

The executive has recently advertised seeking tenders from the private nursing home sector for the care of high dependency patients. The question of capacity of the private nursing home sector to provide care for high dependency patients as well as the number of beds and the location of any such beds will be addressed as part of this process.