DFI hosts member's event with HSE on Under 65s in nursing homes
November 25 2025, 01:27pm
In an exclusive briefing for DFI members, the HSE provided a critical update on the National Implementation Programme for people under the age of 65 living in nursing homes.
The session offered members a direct line to the team leading the response to the Ombudsman’s Wasted Lives report. The presentation was delivered by the HSE’s National Clinical Programme for People with Disability, NCPPD, featuring Clinical Lead Rosemary Gowran and Programme Manager Louise Moloney, who outlined the development of a new, rights-based model of service: “A Place to Call Home.”
A focus on prevention and transition
The HSE representatives walked DFI members through a strategy centered on five proposed "Guidance Notes." These notes are intended to create practical pathways that not only support those currently in nursing homes but, crucially, prevent admissions in the first place.
The five key areas of guidance include:
Community prevention: Supporting people to stay in their own homes.
Acute hospital transition: Moving from hospitals directly to a home in the community.
Post-rehab transition: Moving from rehab settings to a home in the community.
Nursing home transition: Supporting those currently in nursing homes to move out.
Quality of life: Enhancing meaning and rights for those living in nursing homes.
Louise emphasised to the group that the first three notes are heavily focused on prevention, aiming to stop the crisis situations that often lead to inappropriate nursing home admissions.
Addressing systemic challenges
The briefing provided a transparent look at the complexities of the process. The speakers acknowledged several systemic barriers that must be addressed, a concern shared by many DFI member organisations.
Key challenges highlighted included:
Assessment variation: The current lack of a standardised approach to assessing needs across different regions.
Service integration: The necessity for better coordination between acute hospitals and disability services to ensure decisions are rights-based rather than purely medical.
Community deficits: A significant shortage in community-based capacity, such as neurogenic bowel care and multi-disciplinary teams and a lack of transitional living options.
Next steps
While acknowledging that progress is gradual, the HSE team emphasised that work is moving from discussion to action. Immediate next steps involve an international literature review and the establishment of specific task groups to develop each of the five guidance notes.
The session underscored the value of the collective voice of DFI members in monitoring these developments. The ultimate goal remains a robust implementation plan that ensures every individual has access to a place they can truly call home.
This briefing is part of DFI’s ongoing work to keep our members informed and engaged with key policymakers. If your organization is not yet a member and would like to be part of these vital conversations, you can find more information on how to join us here: