There are mounting calls in Clare for a pricing review into the Fair Deal scheme.
It comes after a new report revealed financial supports for patients in this county under the initiative are now the lowest in the country.
The 12 nursing homes in Clare that are included on the latest Nursing Home Index are receiving around 930 per bed per week under the current Fair Deal scheme.
That compares to more than 1,200 euro in Dublin, and means Clare’s average rate per patient, per bed, per week is the lowest of any county in Ireland.
While Fair Deal rates have increased by an average of 13.3 percent since the last similar report into the matter was published in 2014, staff costs have climbed by nearly double that amount in the same timeframe.
It’s led to fresh calls in Clare in particular for a revamping of the system, to be based on the needs of each individual patient.
Brian McEnery, Partner & Head of Advisory at BDO Ireland, who jointly undertook the survey, says a lack of fairness in the system isn’t based purely on finances alone.
The overall report suggests that the nursing home sector now needs an investment of approximately €500 million to address what it says are ‘unmet’ challenges if there isn’t to be a ‘significant’ loss of beds.
The CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, meanwhile, says a pricing review into the system needs to be published as a matter of urgency.
Tadhg Daly says a two tier system is being developed, particularly in Clare, between public and private facilities.
