Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the examination of the HSE national service plan for 2014. Since the health portfolio is so vast, often in debate it is easy to rubbish or take a position to instil fear in vulnerable people in respect of the health service. If we examine the health service plan we see that there is so much to be considered and so many checks and balances in respect of what has been a limited and reducing budget such that many things are considered and covered.

Rather than dwell on acute services I wish to focus on community services, especially services for older people. People at this stage of life can be particularly frightened by news items and statements made in the media for political reasons.

I welcome the fact that, at least to begin with, the level of home help and the standard home health care packages will remain the same as in 2013. I am keen to see this area of the budget increased more and more because it is cheaper to provide care for people in their own homes but they need support for that to materialise. I know this was a particular problem last year because when there are budget crunches, such as those of last year, community services are often the first areas to be squeezed. People who receive home help had reductions in their home help care last year. However, when we consider the value to the State of allowing people the dignity to stay in their own homes, we see it is important to invest in this area. Otherwise it will cost us. If people cannot get out of hospital they will have to stay in acute beds, when others need to be in those beds. Really those people could be in their own homes. To that end, I welcome the €23 million which has been transferred from the fair deal scheme budget to community services. This is welcome and practical too. The measure will ensure more individualised home care packages. An extra €10 million is being spent on this area, some €3 million of which will go towards providing additional intermediate care on community support beds. This will give a greater range of care options, which is what is required to be achieved and what is being talked about. Some of this €10 million funding will go towards making up a shortfall in the funding of public short-stay beds. All of these are welcome and practical proposals within the service plan.

I am aware of the HIQA deadline for the facilities of community nursing homes to be upgraded by June 2015. Since we have an ageing population we need to ensure proper plans and provisions are in place for the future. Furthermore, we need to ensure that we will have spaces in community nursing homes. I welcome the substantial funding being put into the Sacred Heart Hospital nursing home in my county. However, I call for reassurance to be given to other community nursing homes in due course, including St. Augustine's Community Nursing Unit, Ballina, the Dalton Community Nursing Unit, Claremorris, and the Mac Bride Community Nursing Unit, Westport. Their facilities need to be upgraded.

Deputy Regina Doherty made a particular point as she was concluding. I very much welcome the Minister's commitment to require the HSE to put together a review group to ascertain how the medical needs of people with long-term medical conditions such as Down's syndrome or Crohn's disease can be provided for more compassionately. This is a humane development and presents an opportunity to examine how people who have a lifelong medical condition, which we know will not change, can be properly catered for. I look forward to hearing the progress of the review group.

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