|
Nursing Home Standards May Cost €1.2 Billion
By Paul Mulholland, Irish Medical News
July 6, 2009
Ireland
The cost of upgrading public nursing homes to comply with new na¬tional residential standards, which came into force last week, could amount to €1.2 billion, according to a Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out by the Department of Health.
The report states that while private nursing homes are already largely compliant with the quality standards, “significant shortfalls” were identified with the infrastructure in public homes.
The €1.2 billion figure, which is estimated at 2008 prices, depends on the proportion of units being replaced and upgraded.
“Many public sector settings will require significant refurbishments or replacement to comply with the quality standards,” the Assessment maintains.
However, nursing homes will be allowed a six-year window to meet the requirements of the standards, provided a fully costed plan with a detailed schedule is agreed between the Chief Inspector and the provider.
In addition, a costs assessment conducted by PA Consulting found that costs in training care staff could amount to €12 million, while the cost of covering staff who attend training courses would be €37 million across both private and public nursing homes, although the vast majority of the sum would come from the private sector which employs a greater number of care assistants.
However, these costs would be drastically reduced to €3.7 million if FÁS continues to subsidise the cost of the course for participants.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health stated it will be engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS over the coming months to ascertain if the continuation of this subsidy is feasible or not.
In addition, the requirement to have written policies and procedures as per the standards will cost between €1 million and €3.3 million across both sectors.
The standards will be funded by a triennial nursing home registration fee of €500 and an annual license fee of €190 per occupied bed.
More
Information on World Elder Rights Issues
Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use |
Privacy Policy | Contact
Us
|
