Nursing home units with fewer than 50 beds will be difficult to maintain from a financial point of view, Minister for Health James Reilly has said.
Speaking at the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children this morning, the Minister again warned that some public nursing homes will close in 2012.
The chief executive of the HSE, Cathal Magee said that the organisation was afcing a reduction in personnel of 3,200 in 2012 and this was going to present a significant challenge in how to properly staff community nursing units.
He warned that this may “necessitate consolidation”.
Mr Magee said no decisions had been taken on the process of discussions with the Department of Health was continuing.
Mr Magee told the committee last month that of the 5,880 long-stay public beds in units around the State, only 30 per cent or about 2,000 beds met the required standards in terms of physical environment.
He said some of the facilities were 100 years old.
Mr Magee said at that time a capital investment of between €600 million and €900 million would be required to bring the units up to the required standards. He said there were "significant challenges around the viability of units when you get below 50 beds".
Mr Magee also pointed to the differences in costs between community nursing home facilities operated by the HSE and those run by the private sector.
He said that under the Fair Deal scheme the cost per patient per day in a private nursing home was €850 while in the public system the cost was €1,350-€1,400 and in some smaller facilities up to €1,800.