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2008

SIPTU Retired Members say new Nursing Home Bill poses more questions than answers for elder care

Date Released: 13 Nov 2008

The Nursing Homes Support Bill is fraught with difficulties for older citizens who are unwell and for their families, the Secretary of SIPTU’s Retired Members' Section Ross Connolly said today. “These difficulties are further aggravated by the general cutbacks in public health expenditure which suggest that public nursing beds will be rapidly phased out of the system completely.

“Effectively public beds for older citizens who are too ill to live on their own will cease to exist. Meanwhile it is unclear how people will be assessed to see if they are eligible for cover under the new legislation. If you are not considered poor enough to qualify will you be thrown back on the mercy of the private sector health care market?

“We also have concerns about the ability of the Community Care programme to look left to manage in their own homes? Already I understand some community care programmes are running out of funds to provide services for the remainder of this year to provide existing services for older citizens living at home.

“Furtherconcerns arise over the mental health and the decision making capacity of people left to the mercies of the new scheme as they grow older. Will they be able to make decisions in their own best interest and, if not, who will make those decisions for them?

“As far as we are concerned this is a continuation of the policy of privatising healthcare that has been the hall mark of the Minister ever since she assumed office. In order to avoid taxing the rich and powerful in our society to contribute their fair share she chooses to make the most vulnerable pay instead.”





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