HIQA collects €5.5m from nursing homes

Tracey Cooper, HIQA CEO

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has collected €5.5 million in fees from nursing homes since the commencement of the registration of nursing homes.

The figures reflect the year to the end of July 2010. A further €1.7 million is due for payment this month.

Nursing homes have to pay an application and annual fee to the Authority.

The HSE, as the major provider of health and social care services in Ireland, also has to pay the charges, as do private and voluntary providers of health and social care.

The figures are in line with what was initially anticipated, HIQA has stated.

HIQA is responsible for the registration and inspection of all residential care services for older people. Since July 2009, HSE-run centres, as well as private and voluntary nursing homes, have been subject to independent registration and inspection.

Last March, the Authority cancelled the registration of a nursing home in Bray, Co Wicklow — the first time such an interim order was made under Sections 59 and 60 of the Health Act 2007.