Under the Nursing Home Support Scheme, prices charged by Private Nursing Homes are agreed between the Private Nursing Home and the National Treatment Purchase Fund.   A weekly price for the cost of care in Public Homes is also provided.

These agreed prices are the basis for the financial support payable by the HSE under the Scheme.  The list of approved nursing homes (both private and public) and the cost of care for each of these homes is available on this page - click on the pdf files to the right to read or download these price lists.

It is acknowledged that there are variations in the cost in the cost of care in respect of public and private nursing homes. Public nursing homes employ a greater number of nursing staff and therefore have higher nursing to patient ratios than many nursing homes in the private sector which accounts for the higher cost of care.

These higher staffing ratios are in place because public nursing homes have traditionally provided care to patients with high dependency levels and care needs, where their needs cannot be met in other care facilities. HSE long stay residential units have the highest proportion of maximum dependent older people at just over 60% compared to that of private nursing homes with almost 35%.