Written answers

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Department of Health

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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475. To ask the Minister for Health if he will be allocating further funding under the fair deal scheme across the regions over the next three months to address the current backlog in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27994/14]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The total budget for long-term residential care in 2014 is €939m. €23m was transferred from the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to provide additional community services, with a view to allowing more older people to be supported in their own homes and communities for longer. This reorientation is in line with both Government policy and with the expressed wishes of older people, and its impact will be closely monitored over the coming months.

The HSE operates a national placement list to enable it to operate within the budget for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme. All applicants who are approved for funding are put on the placement list in chronological order by the date of determination of their application. Funding issues to applicants in this chronological order to ensure equity nationally. The HSE makes every effort to match available funding to demand by releasing funding on a weekly basis.

As of the end of May 2014, there were 783 applications for the Scheme which is a reduction of 11% from May 2013. The Deputy will appreciate that significant funding pressures exist in the health services generally, and it will not be possible to provide additional funding for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme in 2014.

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