Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reduce the waiting times for the fair deal nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42421/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I am aware that waiting times on this list are now at around 15 weeks. This is of course a matter of concern for me but limitations on available resources present a real challenge. My Department and the HSE are working to ensure that the resources that are available are deployed in the most effective way possible and deliver the best outcomes for older people. This will require an integrated approach across community, residential and other service areas.

The HSE controls the release of funding to manage the funds that are available across the course of the year. Funding is released to approved applicants according to their place, in order of their approval date, on the National Placement List. Over the course of the year to date, demand for funding has exceeded what could be released and the National Placement List has grown as a result.

In July this year, the HSE allocated €5m for an initiative to improve access to appropriate care for older people.  To date this has funded over 300 transitional care beds for patients in acute hospitals who are on the NHSS National Placement List and over 200 home care packages to assist patients in the acute hospitals who require a home care package to be discharged.

In Budget 2015 a further €25 million has been allocated to alleviate the problem of delayed discharges. This will be applied across community and residential services to improve Placement List waiting times and to relieve the pressure in acute hospitals resulting from beds being taken up by those who no longer require acute care.

The Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, which will be completed in the coming months, will include consideration of the future balance between community and residential services and the longer-term sustainability of the Scheme.