Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
560. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the transport costs incurred by residents of private nursing homes who are in receipt of financial support under the fair deal scheme and who must attend hospital and other medical appointments, will be reimbursed; If there is a process in place whereby such residents that require transport can book it through a central office of the HSE. [70919/25]
View answerThe Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:
• Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person
• Bed and board
• Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist the person with the activities of daily living
• Laundry service.
It excludes other costs such as therapies, more specialised aids and appliances, social activities, transport and individual items and services such as specialised laundry, newspapers and hairdressing. Many of these items were excluded from the definition of long-term residential care because they relate to services covered under the medical card or other eligibility schemes. Other services such as specialised laundry, newspapers and hairdressing were excluded as these are discretionary charges that should only be applied when the resident chooses to avail of the service. Typically, social charges are levied on all residents to cover the cost of activities.
Part 7 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013 (as amended) stipulates that the registered provider of the nursing home must agree a contract in writing with each resident on their admission to the nursing home. This contract must include details of the services to be provided to that resident and the fees to be charged and is inclusive of all additional charges. Residents should never be charged fees which are not set out in the contract.
The Department of Health and the HSE are not a party to such contracts which are concluded between each resident and their nursing home. It is clear that under the terms of the NHSS Act 2009, private nursing homes should not levy additional charges on NHSS residents for services coming within scope of the Nursing Home Support Scheme.
Transport costs are not covered under the NHSS, as typically such arrangements are a matter for the relevant service provider. The budget for the provision of non-emergency patient transport, such as taxis, or private ambulances, was distributed by the HSE to individual service providers (Hospitals and CHOs) on the basis that they are the local service provider and not the National Ambulance Service (NAS). The responsibility for determining if non-emergency patient transport is to be provided to the patient and the cost of that transport rests with the local service provider. Otherwise, such transportation arrangements are typically funded by the individual.
It is noted that in certain circumstances an Additional Needs Payment may be available through the Department of Social Protection. The Additional Needs Payment is designed to help individuals with essential expenses that they cannot cover from their weekly income or other resources. The payment can be used for various needs, including recurring travel expenses for medical appointments.
