The new nursing home Bill will not address the fundamental geographical discrepancies in subventions across the country, the chairman of the Irish Nursing Home Organisation (INHO) has said.
Speaking at the organisation's conference in Dublin yesterday, its chairman, Paul Costello, said the inequities in the system of subvention payments to nursing home residents were scandalous.
At present enhanced subvention payments are made at the discretion of each individual Health Service Executive office and can vary dramatically from region to region.
Mr Costello highlighted a case in one nursing home in the west of Ireland where two people, both with the same means, the same needs and the same level of care, were receiving different subventions.
"One resident from the east is receiving enhanced subvention payments from the HSE eastern region of €600 a week while the resident from the west is receiving €190.50 a week from the HSE western region. Clearly there is no logic in this perverse system, and there is certainly no justice to it."
He said his understanding of the new Health (Nursing Home Amendment) Bill was that the geographical anomalies would not be addressed. "The subvention in the new Bill is €190 a week, so this discretionary enhanced subvention will continue the way it is currently, which is very unsatisfactory."
Mr Costello expressed his concern that under the new Bill subvention may not be paid if a person has an income of more than €9,000 a year, and if an older person is living in a house worth more than €500,000 in Dublin and €300,000 outside the city he will also be refused subvention.
"At the very worst we are calling for a moratorium on the private dwelling. In the UK there is a moratorium on selling the private home on the basis that the person might be well enough to return to their own home at a future date. If a person is forced to sell their home and move into long-term care, there is no coming back from it."
Other speakers at the conference included Julie Ling, nurse adviser for services for older people and palliative care in the Department of Health and Children; Robin Webster, chief executive of Age Action; and Dr Tracey Cooper, recently appointed chief executive of the Health Information and Quality Authority.
The conference was chaired by broadcaster Prof John Bowman and was to be opened by Minister of State for Health and Children Seán Power. However, he could not attend due to the Dáil debate on the new health Bill.
McDowell committed to social services inspectorate: page 8
