Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to give the National Treatment Purchase Fund a role in identifying suitable nursing homes for individual persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32162/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The National Treatment Purchase Fund's (NTPF) role under the proposed Nursing Homes Support Scheme is not to identify suitable nursing homes for individual persons. Under the new scheme, NTPF will negotiate prices for long-term care with private nursing home owners on behalf of the State. Where nursing homes agree prices for the purposes of the scheme with the NTPF, the NTPF will recommend the homes to the Health Service Executive for inclusion on the list of nursing homes 'approved' for the scheme. A person availing of the scheme can then choose any approved private nursing home or public nursing home on the list subject to availability and the suitability of the home to meet their care needs. The NTPF's negotiating role under the scheme will be an ongoing one. The price agreed with private nursing homes for the purposes of the scheme will naturally be subject to periodic re-negotiation to take account of inflation and other developments.