Waiting time for nursing home bed set to increase

Waiting times for a nursing home bed under the Fair Deal scheme will increase next year as a result of funding changes, the HSE has admitted.

With no additional funding available for services for older people in 2014, the HSE has decided to move funding from the nursing home support scheme to home care and community support services.

According to the HSE’s service plan for next year, 700 fewer beds will be funded under Fair Deal in 2013 compared to this year’s target.