Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her Department accepts liability for the costs of persons who hold or have held medical cards while in private nursing homes, for example in respect of incontinence wear and of medical elements of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13075/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Article 16.1 of the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993 provides that individuals resident in private nursing homes who are in receipt of a subvention from the health board may not be charged extra for any service which is considered to be essential to their maintenance in the home and common practice in most nursing homes. Such services include bed and board, nursing care appropriate to the level of dependency of the person and incontinence wear.

In February 2001, a letter was issued by the Department of Health and Children to the former health boards and Eastern Regional Health Authority requesting that the necessary arrangements be put in place so that all medical card holders in receipt of subvention be supplied with incontinence wear under a similar arrangement as is in place for those living in the community. Arrangements are currently in place in the majority of areas for the supply of incontinence wear to medical card holders in private nursing homes.

From 2003 additional funding was allocated towards the nursing home subvention scheme to assist with the costs of supplying incontinence wear to patients in private nursing homes who are in receipt of a subvention under the nursing home subvention scheme. This funding also assists with costs associated in managing the scheme and providing training and education in relation to incontinence issues.