Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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133. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the ongoing delay in publishing the review of the nursing home support scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that those making oral submissions were informed that it would be completed by the end of January 2015; if his Department has received a copy of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5134/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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When the Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The reason for allowing this period to elapse was to ensure that the Scheme had bedded in and that established trends would be available in order to inform the work of the Review. The Review is being carried out by my Department in collaboration with the HSE, with analysis and recommendations provided by an external service provider on specific issues which required specialised expertise.

A call for written submissions to inform the review was made on the 16th June 2012. In total 61 submissions were received from a broad range of individuals, nursing homes, statutory bodies, groups representing the interest of older people, private/commercial bodies and organisations in the community and voluntary sector. A summary report of the submissions was published on the Department's website in December 2012.

The Terms of Reference for the Review are:

Taking account of Government policy, demographic trends and the fiscal situation:

1. To examine the on-going sustainability of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme;

2. To examine the overall cost of long-term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating/setting prices;

3. Having regard to 1. and 2. above, to consider the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services;

4. To consider the extension of the scheme to community based services and to other sectors (Disability and Mental Health); and

5. To make recommendations for the future operation and management of the scheme.

The elements of the Review that relate to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme itself are well-defined, but an effective assessment of the Scheme for the future requires consideration of where it fits within the spectrum of services and supports for older people, and of how the make-up of and balances within this spectrum may change over time. This exercise is much broader than was first envisaged and the time needed was therefore also somewhat longer. However work is well advanced and it is expected that the Review will be completed by the end of this quarter .