Ms Laverne McGuinness:

It is correct to state guidelines were issued whereby anybody who had a home help and had an assessed medical need would not lose the service; that nobody would lose all of their home help hours; and that the focus would be on personal assistants in the first instance. It is also correct to state this has not been applied appropriately in all cases, and where this has happened the situation has been rectified. We have identified in each local area a person to whom public representatives can go and this list is available and has been circulated. In addition, all managers have been advised that an assessment should be carried out by a public health nurse or a health professional and no reduction should be made in the absence of this assessment. Messages should not be left on answering machines and where possible people should be contacted on a personal basis. This is not always possible.