“…the minimum efficient nursing home size, given the regulatory requirements now in effect in the sector, appears to be approximately 60 beds, though some…are of the opinion that it is higher” {:class=“large-quote”}

According to a comprehensive survey of existing nursing home capacity, PHR estimates that approximately 70.8% of nursing homes in the Republic of Ireland contain less than 60 beds. This is similar in Northern Ireland, where 76% of nursing homes have less that 60 beds. A breakdown of the number of beds in nursing homes nationwide, undertaken by PHR, is outlined in Table 1 below.

Number of Homes

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Using estimated refurbishment figures provided by the Department of Health, PHR has calculated the rough cost of expanding existing nursing home units up to the 60 bed threshold. The figure has been generated by applying the cost per bed for both public and private nursing homes, having determined the difference between the 60 bed figure.

It should be noted that each individual nursing home will have its own unique planning and development contexts and may be restricted by virtue of the nature of the structure in which the operation is housed or available site area. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, this calculation is one of the first which explores the cost of upgrading existing stock to facilitate greater efficiencies for operators and to cater for increased demographically driven demand.