Local private and voluntary nursing homes are struggling under the weight of expenses as they attempt to comply with new standard regulations, a national representative group has claimed.
According to Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI ), 56 nursing homes in the south-east region have spent €4,360,832 in a six-month period on compliance with new standards introduced by the Health Information and Quality Authority.
The NHI’s annual nursing home survey shows the 56 homes surveyed in Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and South Tipperary had invested on average €77,872 each on compliance with National Quality Standards.
Tadgh Daly, CEO of NHI, said it was a mark of the sector’s commitment to compliance.
“It will be a number of years before a full picture of the economic impact of the HIQA standards becomes apparent,” he said.
“However it is a matter of concern in the sector that already a number of nursing homes have indicated that they will be closing as the cost of compliance with the new standards cannot be met by them.”
A total of €35 million has been spent by nursing homes nationwide between the introduction of the independent inspectorate in July 2009 and the completion of the survey in early 2010.
A number of rising costs, including commercial rates and energy costs as well as significantly increased staff costs, have not been recognised by the State in negotiations for a ‘fair deal’ through the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF ), the NHI has said.
“In effect we have conflict between two arms of the state; HIQA and the NTPF,” said Mr Daly.
“HIQA, rightly, are demanding the highest standards of care and compliance. The NTPF are completely failing to recognise this in their negotiations with the sector and there is a complete disconnect.”
At the launch of the NHI survey, Mr Daly called on Minister of State with responsibility for Older People Áine Brady to facilitate roundtable discussions involving the Department of Health, the NHI, the NTPF, the HSE and HIQA to ensure a commitment to best care at a fair price with a full understanding of the pressures on the sector.
