Reports that the health safety body HIQA will not grant an amnesty for public nursing homes to meet safety and quality standards highlights the need to establish a Forum on Long Term Residential Care, according to Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI).

NHI says HIQA's confirmation flies in the face of Minister of State for Older People Kathleen Lynch's recent claim that the  Department of Health '"can negotiate' with HIQA in respect of the 2015 deadline for the physical environment nursing home standards.

Her comments were made arising from a leaked and still unpublished report which revealed the State will be required to invest hundreds of millions to ensure public nursing units can meet the 2015 physical environment regulatory requirements.

The Irish Times reported recently that only ten of the existing 100 plus public nursing homes are in a position to meet the 2015 deadline.

The HIA has pointed out that HIQA has said it remains fully committed to implementation of the 2015 National Quality Standards deadline and will not entertain negotiation in respect of issues surrounding compliance. It is vital that HIQA apply the regulations equally to all nursing homes, be they public, private or voluntary.

Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO pointed out that the HSE has publicly stated up to €1.7 billion will have to be invested by the State if it wishes to maintain its current level of public sector nursing home provision at 20%. 

"The Minister must now face up to reality. Minister Lynch has to stop burying her head in the sand in respect of the critical issue of long-term care for older people and establish a Forum to address the growing healthcare demands of our ageing population and to plan accordingly."

NHI says the taxpayer is faced with up to a €2 billion bill to maintain public sector provision but  even if the current public nursing home provision continued, this would still leave a shortfall of 11,000 places for residential nursing home care in the coming years.

"Only through engagement with the private and voluntary nursing home sector can the considerable shortfall in capacity for long-term residential care be addressed. Recently Minister Lynch revealed in Dáil Éireann 1,500 plus people are awaiting the support of Fair Deal. A Forum on Long Term Residential Care is an imperative to bring stakeholders together to plan appropriately. HIQA's stance makes this critical immediately," Mr Daly said.