Nursing Homes Ireland

Intent: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to:“Publish the NTPF review of pricing systems in early 2025 and work towards an equitable funding model for the nursing home sector.” With Government formed on 23 January 2025, we interpret “early 2025” to mean no later than the end of Q1 and within the first 100 days of Government formation (by early May). The timely publication of the NTPF pricing review is critical to addressing long-standing funding challenges for nursing home care.

Methods: Email

Intent: NHI wrote to the members of the Oireachtas calling for the development of a dedicated national nursing home care policy, one that is rights-based, resident-led, and integrated within thebroader continuum of older person care.We urge Government to work with us in shaping a policy framework that recognises nursing home care as a vital part of our health and socialcare system, and ensures that every person can live with dignity, autonomy, and connection,now and into the future.

Intent: To keep the Minister informed of all developments in the sector.

Methods: Meeting

Intent: For NHI and our members to meet with their local Minister, TD and Senator and to inform them of the current challenges and issues they are facing and to ensure that the government are aware of what challenges need to be addressed to support the nursing home sector through policy and legislation to be sustainable in to the future

Intent: To engage and inform TD's and Senators on the current challenges in the nursing home sector. Engage on the policy and legislation required to support the sector and the nursing home providers who are large employers across the country and care for our older people.

Methods: Lobby day

Intent: The Government expressly committed to the following under “Strengthen our nursing home sector” (p.97 of the Programme for Government):• Publish the NTPF review of pricing systems in early 2025 and work towards an equitable funding model for the nursing home sector. That timeline has now passed without a confirmed date. NHI are seeking clarity on what is causing the delay in the publication of NTPF's Review of Pricing System for Long Term Residential Care Facilities

Methods: Letter

Intent: NHI's intended results were firstly to meet with the Minister to discuss Slaintecare 25 + and also to raise with the Minister concerns with the omission of the long-awaited policy paper on the future direction and financial sustainability of nursing home care. This was explicitly referenced in the Sláintecare 2022 Progress Report, published on 28 March 23, which acknowledged:“Scoping work has commenced on the development of this paper, however this project is now paused.' Where is this paper?

Methods: Letter

Intent: In 2024 Nursing Homes Ireland commissioned the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RSCI) to develop a contemporary, comprehensive and informed framework of best practice for the integration of human rights into nursing home care in Ireland. We invited Minister O'Donnell to formally launch this research.

Methods: Letter

Intent: To inform the Minister of the important findings in the ESRI Older People's Care Capacity Review. By 2040, the number of people aged 85 and over, those most likely to require complex long-term care, is set to more than double.At the lower end of the ESRI projections, we will require 21,056 minimum additional nursing home beds by 2040. This equates to minimum of 1,403 additional nursing home beds annually (assumption of no loss of current beds) every year for the next 15 years.

Methods: Letter

Intent: For NHI to outline to the Minister's NHI's asks for Budget 2026 which were directly aligned with the Programme for Government commitments to:• Publish the NTPF review of pricing systems and work towards an equitable funding model; • Ensure timely access to the Fair Deal scheme, with waiting lists not exceeding four weeks.NHI wanted to brief Minister's on our pre budget submission and highlight what is needed from the government for the private nursing home sector to be sustainable.

Methods: Letter