Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Catherine Connolly for raising this important issue which is close to all of our hearts. There but for the grace of God it could be any of us requiring services for our elderly relatives.

On the point about a couple of sentences in a reply to a parliamentary question, the Health Service Executive has the facts. Questions are often referred from the Department of Health to the HSE to get the information. It is not that there is an unwillingness to provide the information. There is a procedure as to how that information is obtained. I will follow up on that matter on the Deputy’s behalf.

Home care services are critical to support older people to stay in their own homes and communities, and maintain their independence for as long as possible. This is better for older people as they are happier in their own homes. It also makes sense because it helps avoid admissions to acute hospitals and many people can be supported at home at a far lower cost than in residential care. The HSE’s national service plan for 2016 provides for a target of 10.4 million home help hours to support about 47,800 people. It provides for 15,450 home care packages and 190 intensive home care packages for clients with complex needs, including dementia. This is less than we would like to have available, however. Services are being stretched by demands from more people, as well as for more hours at times outside of core hours, in the evenings and at weekends, all of which cost more.

The Government has made a start in responding to this demand by providing an extra €40 million for home care packages in 2016, allowing us to maintain services at a higher level than would otherwise have been the case. The Government will allocate €10 million to support discharges from acute hospitals as part of the next winter initiative. We will now provide an extra 115,000 home help hours and 528 additional home care packages in 2016.

On 9 September 2016, the HSE published its winter initiative plan for 2016-17. The plan will focus on specific measures required to address the anticipated surge in health service activity in hospitals and in the community nominally associated with this time of year. One of its key objectives is to reduce the numbers of people waiting to be discharged from hospitals by providing the specific supports and pathways to allow patients to move home or to a suitable community setting which meets their needs. Achieving this objective will free up beds in the acute hospital system which, in turn, will lead to less overcrowding in emergency departments.

We have several initiatives aimed at increasing capacity at Galway University Hospital. Earlier this year, 30 new beds were opened. In addition, a 75-bed ward block and acute adult mental health unit are under construction. They are expected to be operational by 2017. Further, the programme for a partnership Government contains a commitment for a new emergency department for Galway University Hospital. Community services are endeavouring to support the discharge of patients who have been deemed medically fit for discharge and require alternative supports, be that long-term care, home care and transitional care.

University Hospital Galway is within the community area of CHO, community healthcare organisations, area 2 which has received almost €5.5 million for home care as part of the €40 million additional funding to which I referred to earlier. In addition, as part of the winter initiative funding, CHO area 2 is receiving €1.8 million specifically for University Hospital Galway to provide six new home care packages each week from October to February.

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