‘State bargain hunt could hit standards in nursing homes’

THE head of the organisation which represents most of the country’s private and voluntary nursing homes has accused the state of “bargain-hunting” from his members.

Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) chief executive Tadhg Daly said new funding arrangements under the Government’s Fair Deal scheme could drive down the standards of care provided by some of his 332 members.

Mr Daly also accused the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), which administers the Fair Deal scheme, of negotiating funding rates with his members that fail to value private and voluntary nursing home care at the same level as public nursing home care.

“NHI believes the state cannot have it both ways: Looking for higher standards throughout the nursing home sector while bargain-hunting for beds at the same time, with the consequence of driving down care standards,” he said.

He made his comments as Cobh Community Hospital in Co Cork continues its fight for survival. Since signing up to the scheme, the 30-bed hospital has been re-classed as a nursing home, resulting in the withdrawal of so-called Section 39 top-up funding from the HSE. It means the facility will have a maximum funding of €960 per bed, almost €400 below what the HSE says it costs to fund a bed in a public facility.

Mr Daly said what has taken place in Cobh is a pattern that has been repeated around the country.

The NTPF has negotiated new rates despite the fact that the care provided by private and voluntary nursing homes matches that of public facilities, he said.

“The state is also the largest purchaser of beds in the private sector and the harsh reality is that it wants to purchase care from the private sector at significantly less than what it costs the state to provide care itself.”

Mr Daly said his members provide some 70% of the beds in the national system and the state must acknowledge that care is “an expensive commodity”. He called on Health Minister Mary Harney to intervene.

Meanwhile, Cork County Council is to write to the HSE and Ms Harney in an effort to reinstate full grant aid to the Cobh hospital.

Cllrs John Mulvihill (Lab) and Sean O’Connor (Ind) found widespread support from colleagues at a meeting in the County Hall yesterday.

Cllr Mulvihill said the hospital had provided great succour for the community for more than 100 years.

“If they don’t get that funding back it will likely be closed in six months’ time,” Cllr Mulvihill said.

“We are not prepared to have our hospital downgraded,” Cllr O’Connor added.