Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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196. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a HSE nursing home bed costs €2,585 per week in County Laois, a cost far greater than nursing home beds in any other HSE facility in the country; the reason there is such a difference of over €1,500 from the cost of nursing home beds which are provided by private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21981/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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197. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the increase in the cost of nursing home beds is 10% higher in 2023 compared to 2022, and in view of the fact that private nursing home beds are only 3% higher between 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21982/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm whether his Department has engaged with the HSE with a view to increasing the number of contracted beds in private nursing homes in order to expedite the transfer of patients from hospital to private nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21983/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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200. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm whether his Department has engaged with the HSE with a view to increasing the funding that can be provided to private nursing homes that provide contracted beds to care for patients who require a higher degree of care than that which is normally required in a nursing home setting; the number of additional contracted beds that will be put in place over the next 12 months in order to facilitate the transfer of patients from hospital settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21985/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 200 together.

As of 4 May 2023, there are 703 private contracted beds on stream in nursing homes across the country with a focus on providing short stay residential beds with additional therapy and support services. These provide a reablement service and can also be accessed by the community as a hospital avoidance measure in addition to assisting with hospital discharges. Transitional Care Funding continues to be in place to support patients discharging to nursing home beds from Acute Hospital to Long Stay Care and for patients who require convalescence care before returning home.  There were 9,472 approvals for transitional care during 2022 with a further 1,308 extensions approved. As of 28 April, there were 3983 approvals year to date with a further 499 extensions approved.

There are a number of aspects to the Deputy’s questions that are an operational matter for the HSE and I have referred these to the Executive HSE for direct reply.