Written answers

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Department of Health

Nursing Home Services

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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652. To ask the Minister for Health the progress to date on the implementation of all the 11 recommendations of the Leas Cross inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41335/14]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Following the publication of the Leas Cross Review Report referred to by the Deputy in November 2006 the Health Service Executive established a Task Force in February 2007. The Task Force finalised its report and the HSE assigned responsibility within its organisation in relation to the various recommendations made. I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in this regard. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

However since the publication of both the Review and that of the Leas Cross Commission’s Final Report in June 2009 there have been significant developments in the nursing home sector.

The Health Act, 2007 provided for the registration and inspection of all nursing homes – public, private and voluntary. Independent inspections carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), commenced on 1 July 2009. This system replaced the previous one, under which the HSE registered and inspected private nursing homes only.

This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising the Health Act 2007, Registration Regulations (which are currently being reviewed), Care and Welfare Regulations and theNational Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland.

The Health Act, 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations, 2013, replaced the 2009 Care & Welfare Regulations. These Regulations contain provisions for the purposes of ensuring proper standards of care for nursing homes and include health care planning, residents’ rights and protection from abuse. Operators must arrange comprehensive assessments of the health, personal and social care needs of residents and prepare and individualised care plan based on this assessment. The Regulations also provide for training and staff development and include requirements for the management and control of operations of nursing homes.

The aim of “The National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland”is to ensure that these quality standards are being implemented across the system and that people have confidence in them. The standards are currently being revised and up-dated.

Also in 2009 the Nursing Homes Support Scheme was introduced to address the then inequity in the treatment of public and private long-term nursing home residents and to alleviate the financial hardship being experienced by long-term residents in private nursing homes. The scheme supports individuals in need of long-term nursing home care regardless of whether they choose public, private or voluntary nursing homes.

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