Nursing home infection control scheme
Deputy Harkin argued the temporary infection-control support scheme for nursing homes should continue because Covid risks remain. The Tánaiste said the scheme was always temporary, but acknowledged infection control remains important and a broader sectoral review may be needed.
From today, the temporary assistance payment scheme, which helps to fund rigorous infection control measures in our nursing homes is being discontinued. Since the Government took the decision in this regard, a number of things have changed. First, the figures the Government received on Monday night, imperfect though they may be, clearly show that this pandemic is not over. Therefore, rigorous infection control measures in nursing homes are essential. Second, from today, the HSE has restricted visiting in certain nursing homes in Donegal. That clearly shows the need for these measures. Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister to look again at continuing this funding to ensure that there are control measures in our nursing homes for our most vulnerable residents?
Comment on this
The scheme was temporary. Like all temporary schemes, it has to come to an end. The big change that has happened in nursing homes is that the residents and staff are now almost all fully vaccinated. Thankfully, the number of cases and outbreaks has been, and continues to be, very small. However, infection control is always a good thing, particularly in nursing homes. What probably needs to happen is an engagement involving the sector, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Department of Health and the HSE with a view to enhancing the existing scheme and taking account of the increased costs that have arisen as a result of the need to improve infection control into the future.