The average fee payable on behalf of a resident in a HSE nursing home in Kerry is now €645 above that payable to counterparts in private and voluntary nursing homes, it has been claimed.
Nursing Homes Ireland said the funding of State-run nursing homes under the Fair Deal scheme is escalating, amidst the cost of care crisis that has led to an unprecedented level of closure of private and voluntary nursing homes.
CEO Tadhg Daly said recently published figures reveal HSE nursing homes receive an average 69 per cent more (€744) per resident, per week, under Fair Deal fees payable by comparison with private and voluntary counterparts.
“In January 2022, the disparity was €553. The published fees, for January 2023, inform across every county over the past year, the disparity under the scheme has increased,” he said.
Mr Daly said while the funding crisis has led to the closure of over 20 nursing homes the past year, the already considerable gulf in payments to HSE nursing homes has increased.
His organisation has called on the government to expedite its continually stated commitment to implement measures to bring stability to the sector, which was recently reiterated within its Sláintecare progress report.
“A cost of care crisis continues to present for nursing home care in Ireland, with 20 nursing homes closing their doors in the past year. It is a crisis that has been acknowledged by government on a long-standing basis, yet repeated promises to bring into effect a response are still outstanding,” Mr Daly stated.
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