HSE responds to criticism of home care package wait

THE HSE said it is fully committed to supporting older people to return home, or remain at home, for as long as possible where this is their wish.

It was responding to criticism from Dublin Bay North TD Tommy Broughan (Ind) of the number of elderly people that have been approved for Home Care Packages (HCP) but are left waiting for up to a month or longer to receive them. 

Home Care Packages (HCP), administered by the Health Service Executive, were introduced to assist older persons to remain in their own homes while requiring a certain level of care.  

They may include community-based services such as home help hours, occupational therapy and day care services.

As of March 2016, there were 15,830 persons in receipt of Home Care Packages around the Community Health Organisations (CHO) nationwide.  

A total of 4,066 of these were in the Dublin North, Dublin North Central and Dublin North West areas which encompass Deputy Broughan’s constituency.

There were a further 447 persons awaiting a HCP in this area at the same time. This CHO Area (Area 9) demonstrated the highest numbers across all of the CHO areas for both those in receipt of a HCP and those awaiting a HCP.

Deputy Broughan said that given the continuing crisis in our hospitals, significant investment in resourcing community supports and health centres should be a priority for Government.

“It is simply unacceptable that older persons who have been approved for a Home Care Package are left waiting for up to a month or longer,” he said.  

“This is an issue that I have raised in Dáil Éireann previously and with the continued problems in our health service it is imperative that all aspects are properly resourced.  

“The idea of having a finite amount of funding allocated to HCPs is ridiculous as these are vulnerable people who need assistance and deserve the option to have such care in the comfort of their own homes.” 

Deputy Broughan added: “Increasing access to HCPs seems like a simple remedy to part of our sick health service and delayed discharges.”

A spokeswoman for the HSE said : “It is important to note that the allocation of funding for home care across the system, though significant, it is finite. 

“Home care is not, unfortunately, a demand led scheme (i.e. a scheme where services/supports are allocated without reference to a budget cap) and must therefore, be delivered within the funding available. 

“The level of activity and associated costs must be managed in a way that ensures those with the greatest needs are supported and that the overall expenditure on home care services by the HSE does not exceed the available funding.”

The spokeswoman said that activity in relation to home care is monitored on an ongoing basis.

This to ensure that activity is maximised relative to individual clients’ assessed needs and within the overall available resources for home care and the HSE generally and having regard to demand throughout the year.

“It is important to note that home care is not the subject of any resource reductions this year but will require prudent management for the remainder of the year, as demands for services increase, and with those who are not being provided immediately with a service being risk assessed and placed on a waiting list for resource as it becomes available,” she added.