400 Legal Actions Over Nursing Home Fees

More than 400 separate legal actions are reportedly being taken against the Department of Health over illegal nursing home charges.

Reports this morning say the proceedings are being taken by patients or families of patients who were illegally charged for nursing home care between 1976 and 2004.

Last year, the Government set up a repayment scheme to refund the illegal charges, but around 400 people have chosen to bypass the scheme and take court action instead.

Many are understood to be unhappy with the delays involved in the government scheme, while others are relatives of people who died before 1998 and are restricted from seeking a refund.