Single representative body set for nursing home sector

A SINGLE representative body for the private and voluntary nursing home sector comes into being on New Year’s Day.

The establishment of Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) was endorsed earlier this year by the four former representative organisations that will formally disband on Monday.

Up until now Ireland’s 440 private and voluntary homes were represented by the Federation of Irish Nursing Homes, the Irish Nursing Homes Organisation, Nursing Homes Association South East and Nursing Homes West.

The organisations have advised and encouraged their members to join Nursing Homes Ireland that will be headed by Tadgh Daly, former chief executive of the Irish Nursing Homes Organisation.

According to the NHI’s mission statement, members are committed to the provision of high standards of care, support and respect for older people living in nursing homes.

Mr Daly, who has been appointed chief executive of NHI, said it was vital that the sector had a strong representative body able to defend the legitimate rights of nursing home operators.

He said the body would also ensure that the provider’s side of the story was heard on every appropriate issue and occasion.

He said NHI was committed to establishing a partnership between nursing home operators, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) as well as residents and their families to ensure best practice in the care of the older person.

But, he stressed, the terms of engagement must be fair to all sides.

“NHI will campaign vigorously to achieve a fair and just system for all nursing home operators,” he warned.

Next year legislation will be introduced to give effect to HIQA’s standards for residential care settings for older people.

And in 2008 a new scheme to support people in long stay care called Fair Deal will be introduced.

The scheme allows the cost of looking after elderly people in nursing homes to be covered by 80% of their weekly pension, plus a 15% levy on the value of their estate after their death.

Fair Deal was due to commence on January 1 but has been delayed to allow consultations to be held with lobby groups and other interested bodies.

It is understood the Attorney General, Paul Gallagher, is also examining the proposed legislation underpinning the scheme.

Currently, the private nursing home sector is providing about 18,000 beds while the public sector provides up to 9,000.

Mr Daly said the new organisation would be playing a leading role in helping members achieve higher standards of care. A guide to nursing homes provided by members that the public could access would be provided on NHI’s website.

“Ultimately, we are trying to ensure that older people who need long stay care have access to the best possible standard of care,” he said.

Nursing Home Ireland’s website address is www.nhi.ie.