Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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160. To ask the Minister for Health if he will intervene in the closure of a nursing home (details supplied) in County Cork and the lack of respite beds. [50405/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Funding to support people to access long-term residential care is provided in line with the long-established statutory mechanisms under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This is the mechanism established by the Oireachtas to provide for the processes relating to funding under the NHSS and the negotiation of prices for services for private and voluntary providers with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following negotiations and based on the NTPF’s cost criteria. These criteria include:

- Costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home

- Local market prices

- Historic prices- Overall budgetary capacity

The NTPF carry out this role independently under the NHSS Act 2009 and there is no role for Ministers or the Department in these negotiations. It should also be noted that the Department continues to work with the NTPF to take forward the recommended actions that emerged from the review of the NTPF pricing system published in June 2021.

I am aware that a number of nursing homes have closed this year, with several new closures notified in recent weeks. The closure of any nursing homes reduces bed capacity and puts pressure on other local health and social care facilities, including acute hospitals. Ensuring the welfare and safety of residents is secured when nursing homes close is the most important thing and work to alleviate the concerns of nursing home residents must continue.

All nursing homes, as registered providers with HIQA, have well-established obligations under the legal framework in terms of the delivery of safe care to residents. As per regulations, HIQA must also be notified of any closure with 6 months’ notice. It is essential that when nursing homes are intending to close, residents and their families are consulted with and given appropriate notice so that new homes can be found and they can be moved in a safe, planned way. The continued wellbeing of nursing home residents and their families remains my continued focus.

The Government has provided substantial supports to the nursing home sector over the course of the pandemic. Over €144 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) since its introduction in 2020. The Government has now agreed to extend TAPS to the end of the year by maintaining the availability of Outbreak Assistance support. The scheme will also be refocused on addressing this year's inflationary pressures related to energy and heating, whilst continuing to support nursing homes with the cost of managing COVID-19 outbreaks. Details are being finalised and these will be communicated in the coming days.

Substantial additional supports have also been provided by the HSE in terms of serial testing, PPE, the deployment of specialist teams and other services. Many of these supports continue. Finally, in response to the strategic workforce challenges in the nursing home and home care sector, a Cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group was established earlier this year. The Group has been working to a tight timeline and is currently finalising a report which will outline a set of recommendations for my consideration.

Respite care may be based in the community within the persons own home or in residential care settings through HSE managed facilities, by agreement with local/ national voluntary organisations or by contracted private facilities. As of 31 August 2022, the HSE Bed Public Register for Older Persons reports that there are 1,466 short stay beds available across our public residential units. 225 of these beds are identified as general respite and a further 24 beds defined as dementia specific. There are also a further 189 beds categorised for convalescent care, which may also be used for respite purposes. In CHO 4 the register reports that there are 142 short stay beds, of which 42 are identified as respite with a further 50 identified as for convalescent care. It is important to note that these figures relate to publicly managed residential units and do not take into account respite beds sourced though contractual arrangement with voluntary or private agencies. In addition, Transitional Care funding continues to support discharging patients who have completed their acute care and who required long stay residential care under the Nursing Home Support Scheme or who required convalescence up to 4 weeks prior to returning home.