396. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health if she will bring forward regulations to require nursing homes to adopt mandatory minimum patient-to-staff ratios given the current regulatory framework does not set any specific staffing levels and instead only obliges providers to ensure that the number and skill mix of staff is appropriate having regard to the needs of the residents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30589/26]

400. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health if there are any minimum staff-to-resident ratios recommended or applied in practice across nursing homes (details supplied); the extent to which such requirements are standardised across public and private facilities; if she is considering the introduction of explicit minimum staffing ratios in order to ensure consistent standards of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47225/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 400 together.

Currently providers must ensure that staffing levels, skill mix and supervision arrangements are appropriate to residents' assessed needs and set out these arrangements in the centre's Statement of Purpose. HIQA assesses compliance with these requirements through registration and inspection processes. While the obligation to provide appropriate staffing is enforceable, the current framework does not prescribe minimum staffing ratios or an objective national benchmark for assessing staffing adequacy.

The Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix (The Framework) provides an evidence-based flexible approach to determine the number of nurses and healthcare assistants required to provide safe and quality care based on patient need. Framework development to date has comprised three phases.

Phase 1 focused on Adult General and Specialist Medical and Surgical Care Settings and has been national policy since 2018. Phase 2, focused on Adult Emergency Care Settings, and was adopted as national policy in 2022.

Phase 3 extended the Framework into Community settings and comprises three distinct stages: (i) Long-Term residential care settings for older persons; (ii) Community care settings; and (iii) Step-down and Rehabilitation settings.

The Framework was implemented and rigorously tested and evaluated in eight long term residential care settings nationally, including public, private and voluntary care settings. These sites were selected to reflect the sector’s diversity in terms of geography, size and governance arrangements. Following the conclusion of the pilot testing, the Research Team presented the findings to the Taskforce and submitted a Final Evaluation Report.

Based on the evidence and recommendations contained in the Final Report, policy development is at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed in 2026. This timeframe for testing and developing Phase 3(i) of the Framework is in line with the previous two phases of Framework development.

When published, the policy will provide, for the first time, an objective and evidence based approach for all nursing homes nationally to determine their nursing staffing levels and skill mix required based on resident need and the opportunity to enhance and strengthen the role that the regulator can play in objectively monitoring the implementation of the Framework on a national basis.