Ombudsman probes HSE means test

THE Ombudsman is investigating the inclusion by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of patients’ homes in a means test to decide whether to subsidise their nursing home costs.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Ombudsman said the practice had led to considerable hardship in a number of cases and was, in the opinion of the Ombudsman, unfair.

Although the HSE can largely use its own discretion on whether a private residence should be included when assessing a patient’s eligibility for subvention (subsidised care), the spokesperson said the house inevitably was taken into account.