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Over the last few months we have been blown away with the amount of nursing home closures in Ireland. The rising costs, increased regulatory pressures and insufficient state subsidies for care are just some of the reasons outlined that face small operators and privately owned nursing homes today.
Higher energy and staff costs, paid with the escalating demands set by the healthcare regulator, the Health Information and Quality Authority, to meet higher healthcare standards is putting pressure on smaller nursing homes of 40 beds or less, many of which are run by families or voluntary groups.
From 2018, up until the end of last year, 29 nursing homes with fewer than 40 beds have closed. Increases in electricity and gas bills this year have put nursing homes under further pressure. The sector has complained that state funding models, including the Fair Deal scheme which subsidises private nursing home care, falls short in helping care facilities cover their costs.
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), the representative group for private nursing home owners, said the closure of 12 nursing homes in recent weeks was a “wake-up call that can no longer be ignored”.
“It is incumbent upon the Government to finally deliver a long-term strategy to secure the financial sustainability of the sector,” said NHI chief executive Tadhg Daly. “The closures are a direct result of the underfunding of the sector, which has been highlighted by a number of government reports and reviews,” he said. “The ongoing crisis has come against a backdrop of underfunding in the context of the increased complexity and cost of care.”
If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the closure of a nursing home and are seeking support with securing new employment please feel free to contact us here at Clarity Recruitment. We have a number of positions available around the country.
