Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when he will initiate a review of the fair deal nursing home care scheme; when the review will be concluded; the factors of analysis that will be considered in the review; if the feasibility of inclusion of therapy services under the National Treatment Purchase Fund contract will be included in the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7371/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, A Fair Deal, is due to be reviewed three years from the date of its introduction. The scheme commenced in October 2009, therefore it will be due for review in October 2012.

The reason for the three year timespan is to allow the scheme become fully operational and have sufficient data available on which to base a review. All elements of the scheme will be considered including ongoing sustainability and the extension of the scheme to other long-term residential care sectors such as disability and mental health.

With regard to the inclusion of therapies under the scheme, in determining the services covered by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, it was considered very important that the care recipient and the taxpayer would be protected and would not end up paying for the same services twice. For this reason, goods and services that are already prescribed for individuals under existing schemes, such as the Medical Card Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme, are not included in the services covered by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme as this would involve effectively paying twice for the same items or service.

It is important to note that a person's eligibility for the Medical Card / Drugs Payment Schemes 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 nursing home or elsewhere.