Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the policy provisions that are in place to prevent deliberate overcharging in private nursing homes with regard to physical therapy, personal care and so on once a person has qualified under the fair deal scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24127/10]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has to agree a price for long-term residential care with each private nursing home provider wishing to partake in the scheme. The services which fall within the scope of long-term residential care and which are covered by this agreed price are: nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person, bed and board, basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living, and laundry service.

A person who avails of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme should not be charged any additional fee over and above this agreed price, except where he or she chooses to obtain additional services over and above long-term residential care services, for example, hairdressing or the delivery of daily newspapers. Existing arrangements with regard to the provision of incontinence wear free of charge to residents in public and private nursing homes also remain in place.

A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the Medical Card Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme, is unaffected by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme. In other words, a person can continue to receive goods and services in accordance with the terms of these other schemes regardless of whether they are in a private nursing home or elsewhere.

Finally, the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009 specify that the registered provider shall agree a contract with the resident within one month of their admission. The contract must include details of the services to be provided for that resident and the fees to be charged. It should also outline any additional health, personal and social services to be paid for over and above those included in the price agreed with the NTPF, e.g. daily newspapers, hairdressing etc.