Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will clarify the State's obligation regarding the entitlement of citizens to private nursing home care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42957/10]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a new system of financial support for people in need of long-term nursing home care. The scheme applies to both public and private nursing homes. In the case of private nursing homes, the scheme replaces the previous nursing home subvention scheme (although people who were in receipt of subvention prior to the introduction of the new scheme can choose to retain it or transfer to the new scheme).

Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the State and who has been assessed as needing long-term nursing home care is entitled to apply for financial support under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.

The objectives of the scheme are to equalise the level of State support available for public and private nursing home care and to ensure that such care is affordable for all who need it.

Under the scheme, the level of financial support payable to each individual is calculated based on a standardised means test. Each person makes a contribution towards their care based on ability to pay and the State meets the full balance of the cost of care. A person can choose their nursing home and will make the same contribution towards their cost of care regardless of whether they enter a public or private nursing home.

The scheme is budget-capped. A dedicated subhead was established for the purposes of the scheme (subhead B12 in Vote 40 refers). This is managed centrally within the HSE and funding is allocated to qualifying individuals on a 'first come, first served' basis.

An additional €97 million was provided for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme in Budget 2010. The additional funding brings the total budget for long-term residential care in 2010 to €979 million. This is effectively the budget for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme albeit that transitional arrangements must also be facilitated from within the subhead, i.e. people in contract beds or people who choose to remain on subvention.