John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 231: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on the provision of 850 step down beds; the likely cost to the Exchequer thereof; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12144/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Work has been under way in the Department of Health and Children on a proposal for a public private partnership, PPP, investment scheme for 850 community nursing units and there have been discussions between my Department and the Department of Finance in the development of this PPP scheme. Public sector benchmarks prepared in respect of the projects provide a detailed risk adjusted costing of the PPP projects in the southern and eastern regions, where the shortage of long-stay beds is most acute. In accordance with Department of Finance policy, the estimated cost of a PPP project is not made available until the preferred bidder has been selected and the contract signed.

I am aware that additional long stay bed capacity is required to relieve pressure on the acute hospital and community care programme and I will pursue the need to deliver such capacity with the Minister for Finance as a matter of high priority.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 232: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the services being provided for persons leaving acute care; if she will develop a discharge plan to assist persons as they settle back into their homes after a period of acute care; the likely cost to the State of such a plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12145/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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On the publication of the Estimates for 2005, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children announced a ten point plan to relieve ongoing pressure on acute hospital beds and accident and emergency services. Under this plan there are three specific proposals relating to services for older people: an additional 500 older people are to receive intermediate care for up to six weeks in the private sector; 100 high dependency patients are to be transferred from the acute hospitals to private nursing home care; the home care package scheme is to be expanded to support 500 additional older people who have been discharged from the acute hospital sector to their own homes.

The Health Service Executive has advertised and invited tenders from interested parties for the high dependency beds for older people. The EU tender notice for this service was published on 1 February 2005, with a closing date of 16 February for the receipt of expressions of interest. The accelerated restricted tendering procedures are being used with the tendering process in the final stage and site visits are just being completed.

With regard to the 500 intermediate care beds, the EU tender notice for this service was published under the accelerated restricted procedures on 21 January 2005, with a closing date of 7 February for the receipt of expressions of interest. The tendering process has been completed and successful applicants have been notified. The HSE has requested that hospitals ensure that appropriate patients are identified and relevant arrangements are put in place for their final destination so that the lead time in utilising the intermediate beds is minimised. The HSE has also provided funding for up to 30 home care packages for patients in each of the six major acute hospitals in the eastern region.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 233: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the systems in place to vet the standards of long stay care facilities; the cost to the State thereof in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12146/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Regulations governing standards in the private nursing home sector are set out in the Nursing Home (Care and Welfare) Regulations, 1993. These regulations only cover standards in the private nursing home sector. However, there is a commitment in the health strategy, "Quality and Fairness — A Health System for You", to extend the remit of the social services inspectorate to other social services, including residential services for older people.

It has been proposed that the inspectorate will take on responsibility for the intellectual disability area, in the first instance, before moving on to services for older people. In the interim, work has been carried out in a number of Health Service Executive areas on developing standards for residential care for older people. At the same time, the Irish Health Services Accreditation Board has commenced work on examining the development of accreditation standards for residential care for older people, both public and private. In this regard, it is developing a pilot programme which includes both public long-stay units and private nursing homes.

Funding of approximately €120 million has been allocated for the nursing home subvention scheme in 2005 to assist eligible older people with the cost of private nursing home care.