HSE nursing homes in Mayo paid 74% more than private/voluntary facilities
HSE nursing homes in Mayo are being paid 74% more to provide care per person than their private and voluntary counterparts, new figures published by the HSE reveal.
The disparity was highlighted by Nursing Home Ireland (NHI) after the HSE released the fees payable to its nursing homes under the Fair Deal scheme for January 2019.
NHI explained how private and voluntary nursing homes are required to ‘negotiate’ the fees payable to them under Fair Deal with the NTPF, acting on behalf of the State. However, they says the fees payable to HSE nursing homes are not subject to negotiation or oversight, with the HSE being the budget-holder and payee.
A statement from NHI said the released fees show the average fee payable to the six HSE nursing homes in Mayo is €1,543 per person per week, as of January 2019. The average fee payable per person to the 17 private and voluntary nursing homes operating within the county for same month was €886 per person per week.
This reveals a staggering 74% differential in the average fees payable in respect of residents between HSE nursing homes in Mayo and private and voluntary counterparts.
Nationally, HSE nursing home fees are paid an average 66% above those payable in respect of residents in private and voluntary nursing homes. Over the 15-month period since the HSE fees were last published in March 2018, the national chasm has increased from an average 60% to 66%.
Commented Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO: “The Fair Deal budget is coming under severe pressure and there have been reports older people requiring access to nursing home care will have their funding support delayed as the HSE grapples with the financial pressures. Yet across Ireland it is paying its own nursing homes twice the fees payable to private and voluntary nursing homes that are operating alongside them.
“Publication by the HSE of its fees highlights the glaring discrimination perpetuated by the State in nursing home care. It is unacceptable private and voluntary nursing homes, which are the lead providers of nursing home care, are forced to provide care for fees that are a fraction of those payable to HSE counterparts.”
Mr Daly reiterated the consistent call by Nursing Homes Ireland for the review of the Fair Deal pricing mechanism to be published with immediacy.
“The review must be completed and published with immediacy to facilitate imperative discussion regarding how we fund care for people requiring nursing home care.