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Health Budget 2022: Critical need to resource Expert Panel recommendations on the ground ignored

Thursday October 14, 2021

14th October 2021: Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) has accused the Government of ignoring its responsibility to resource the Covid19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel recommendations for delivery within nursing homes across the country. Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO states: “Yet again the Government has not grasped the necessity to ensure the Covid19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel recommendations are appropriately resourced. The State has allocated €17.6 million to support the HSE in fulfilling its side of the recommendations but there is no allocation to ensure nursing home providers can meet the costs associated with delivery of a new nursing home model. The regulatory environment nursing homes are operating in is changing considerably. A staffing costs survey we undertook to inform the budget deliberations reveal €73 per resident, per week, is the average increase in staff costs that has been incurred by nursing homes within the new Covid environment. The budgeting for the Fair Deal scheme for the year ahead must include explicit provision that Expert Panel costs will be recognised within the State funding for resident care.”

NHI CEO Tadhg Daly is available for further comment. Media interviews will be facilitated by Michael McGlynn, NHI Communications and Research Executive, who can be contacted at 087 9082970.