Assessment of careNursing homes are likely to be assessed under a "star rating" system as part of plans to improve standards of care and accommodation in long-stay institutions which care for older people.
The Irish Health Services Accreditation Board has recently completed a pilot project involving eight nursing homes which were assessed against standards of excellence on a five-star, or points, ratings scale.
The system is likely to form part of a new regime for monitoring standards in nursing homes which will be outlined in new legislation due to be published next year.
Under the system, only those nursing homes which reach high standards in certain areas are awarded a star, or grade. Nursing homes which do not meet standards are given a fail or pass rating.
The findings are due to feed into a review of nursing home standards which will result in new legislation, expected in the coming months.
The Health Bill (2005) will establish a new Health Information and Quality Authority and independent inspectorate to allow for a more robust inspections system, according to the Department of Health.
The legislation will include detailed minimum standards of care for nursing homes for the first time.
A new licensing system may also form part of the new Bill, which would make it easier for health authorities to close or penalise nursing homes which fail to provide adequate standards of care.
The heads of the Bill are likely to be published before the end of the year as part of a consultation process. However, the legislation is unlikely to be enacted for at least another six months, Minister for Health Mary Harney has indicated.
Paul Costello, chief executive of the Irish Nursing Homes Organisation (INHO), said existing regulations regarding standards of care needed to be overhauled. "The new inspectorate must have the foundation of strong legislation that includes minimum standards and recognition of nursing homes that provide higher than minimum standards through an accreditation process," he said.
"Until that happens, public confidence in nursing homes will not be restored. Our organisation is trying to ensure this happens as soon as possible."
Concerns have been expressed by health professionals and social workers over vague standards of care which have resulted in difficulties prosecuting nursing homes which fail to deliver adequate services.
Age Action Ireland has also called for new standards in the nursing home sector. The group's head of communications, Paul Murray, said: "If we have a star rating system for hotels, surely it's more important that we have something similar for frail older people."
Mr Costello said that while new standards would help improve overall standards in the sector, this could not be achieved without an increase in State funding or subvention for patients who cannot afford the full cost of private nursing home care.
He said staffing levels in nursing homes in Ireland typically resulted in around two-and-a-half hours of personal care per resident. If the Government was to follow plans in the US to provide a minimum of four hours personal care, it would result in weekly nursing home costs rising from an average of €600 to €1,200.
Nursing home costs in north Dublin are the most expensive in the country at a weekly average of €810, according to an INHO survey, whereas the north-west averages €515 and the west €525.