Nursing Homes Ireland Launches Billboard Campaign to Highlight Crisis in Nursing Home Care
Wednesday October 9, 2024“It’s Not Fair” Campaign Calls for Urgent Reform of Fair Deal Scheme Pricing
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) has launched a national billboard campaign, “It’s Not Fair – Save Our Nursing Homes”, to raise awareness about the critical state of Ireland’s nursing home sector and to push for urgent reform of the Fair Deal Scheme. With 77 nursing homes closing since 2018 and over 2,800 beds lost, NHI is urging the public to press the Government in the General Election to prioritise nursing home care for the public good.
The campaign’s message is simple but critical: Fair Deal pricing is not fair. The Fair Deal Scheme, established in 2009 to support residents requiring nursing home care, has failed to keep pace with rising operational costs. A 2023 PwC report revealed that while operational costs have risen by 36% over the past five years, nursing home revenues have only increased by 17%. This mismatch is putting the entire sector at risk, with devastating consequences for local communities and families across Ireland.
Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, emphasised the need for immediate action:
“This is not just a crisis for the nursing home sector – it’s a problem for all of society. We’re seeing communities lose their local nursing homes, families forced to travel long distances to visit their loved ones, and vulnerable older people denied the care in their community they deserve. The Fair Deal pricing, in its current form, is simply not fit for purpose, and without urgent reform, we will continue to see closures that will have a profound impact on older people, families, and healthcare services.”
What is not Fair?
While the Government has long acknowledged that Fair Deal pricing requires a review, it has consistently failed to deliver on this commitment. Despite a myriad of Department of Health reports over the years, the pricing review promised, has yet to be delivered.
On average, private and voluntary nursing home residents receive €650 less per bed, per week than those in HSE/public nursing homes – amounting to an annual shortfall of €33,800 per resident. This significant funding gap is unsustainable, and unless addressed, more nursing homes will be forced to close, further reducing access to care in local communities.
Daly added:
“This isn’t just a sectoral issue – it’s a national one. We need to have a serious conversation about how we care for our older people, and it needs to happen now. The ageing demographic is not an abstract issue, it’s about all of us, and the care we or our loved ones will need in the future.
“Reforming the Fair Deal Scheme is not just about keeping nursing homes open, it’s about ensuring that every older person in Ireland has access to the care they deserve, in their own communities.”
What Needs to Happen Now?
Nursing Homes Ireland is calling for a national conversation about the future of nursing home and older person care. While the Fair Deal budget for 2025 has increased, NHI will continue to advocate for long-term, sustainable solutions to ensure no more nursing homes close their doors. The Government must take decisive action to restore confidence in the sector and provide stability for both nursing home providers and residents.
Tadhg Daly urged the Government:
“We need the Government to release the long-delayed Fair Deal pricing review, which was originally due in 2019 and has now been postponed to Q1 2025. We cannot wait any longer; people’s lives and futures are at stake.”
How Can the Public Help?
The public can support this campaign by visiting www.nhi.ie/fixfairdeal to explore the timeline of promises and missed deadlines regarding Fair Deal reform. NHI is also urging voters to raise these concerns with their local TDs and General Election candidates. Nursing home and older person care must be part of the national conversation leading up to the election.
“This isn’t just a healthcare issue – it’s a societal challenge,” Daly concluded. “With our ageing population growing rapidly, it’s something to celebrate. But ensuring the sustainability of the nursing home sector must be a priority for Government, families, and communities. Acting now will prevent future heartbreak.”
Nursing Homes Ireland campaign is to spark the national conversation needed to secure the future of nursing home care for older people in Ireland.
