Report criticises payment practices for nursing home costs

WIDELY different practices, used by local health offices in calculating enhanced subventions for nursing home care, have been criticised in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) annual report.

Enhanced payments arise in situations where, even with the maximum subvention, the family or individual cannot afford to meet the shortfall in costs of nursing home care.

There are no clear rules in the regulations about who is entitled to get enhanced payments which is a matter for each Health Service Executive area.