Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

840. To ask the Minister for Health if a resident in a nursing home is entitled to receive a pressure reducing mattress via HSE funding rather than paying out of their own pocket; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24848/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a wide range of medical aids and appliances under the Community Funded Schemes to eligible people free of charge following assessment by a relevant health professional.

Care for nursing home residents, including those in private facilities, can be covered under The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal. The NHSS covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:

- Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person

- Bed and board

- Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living

- Laundry service

A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as a medical card under the General Medical Services Scheme or the Drug Payment Scheme, is unaffected by participation in the NHSS and for this reason, medications and aids that are already prescribed for individuals under an existing scheme are not included in the services covered by the NHSS.

Although the NHSS covers core living expenses, residents can still incur some costs in a nursing home, such as social programmes, newspapers or hairdressing.

Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 prohibits the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

As the Deputy has raised a service matter, I have also asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.