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Parliamentary Questions - Tuesday, 27 January 2009
413. Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children when the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008 will be passed; if it is approved by the Oireachtas, when the new system will become available to applicants; the funding she has in budget 2009 for it; when regulations will be approved; the length of time it will take to negotiate fees and approve nursing homes for the scheme; and if she will make a detailed statement on the matter as to a timeline when this new service will become available.
Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy Máire Hoctor): As the Deputy is aware, the Minister published the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008 on the 9th October and introduced it at Second Stage in the Dáil in November. It is her intention to bring the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible with a view to implementing the scheme in 2009. Only after the legislation has been enacted, and the scheme commenced, will the Health Service Executive be in a position to consider applications under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.
Budget 2009 provided €55 million for the implementation of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme this year. This brings the total funding in the subhead for long-term residential care in 2009 to €909 million. The Bill provides that the Minister may make Regulations on various matters. Where necessary, it is intended that Regulations will be made as soon as possible in tandem with the commencement of the scheme.
Under the new scheme, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) will negotiate prices for long-term care with private nursing home owners on behalf of the State. Where nursing homes agree prices for the purposes of the scheme with the NTPF, the NTPF will recommend the homes to the Health Service Executive for inclusion on the list of nursing homes ’approved’ for the scheme. A person availing of the scheme can then choose any approved private nursing home or public nursing home on the list subject to availability and the suitability of the home to meet their care needs.
In order to become approved for the purposes of the scheme, a private nursing home must: a) be registered under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 at present and, in the future, under the Health Act 2007 (once the relevant sections are commenced), b) have agreed a price for the purposes of the scheme with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), c) hold a valid tax clearance certificate.
The NTPF’s negotiating role under the scheme will be an ongoing one. The price agreed with private nursing homes for the purposes of the scheme will naturally be subject to periodic re-negotiation to take account of inflation and other developments. The NTPF will commence its role under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme as soon as the legislation has been passed and the relevant section of the Act commenced.
In conclusion, the timeframe for commencement of the scheme is contingent upon the passage of the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas and the successful negotiation by the National Treatment Purchase Fund of agreed prices for the scheme. Within this context, it is not possible to be specific about a timeframe at this stage. However, it is anticipated that the Scheme will commence during the second half of 2009.