Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this very important issue. I know they have a particular interest in developing services in CHO 7. The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Home care is an important part of the supports for enabling older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and for facilitating their discharge from acute hospitals.

Since being appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Deputy Jim Daly has made improved access to home support services a key priority. Progress in this area is reflected in the additional funding made available for the winter of 2017 and 2018, the increased funding and level of activity for 2018 and the work being progressed on the development of a statutory home care scheme.

Home support services were a particular focus in budget 2018 with an additional €18.25 million allocated. The HSE has operational responsibility for planning, managing and delivering home and other community-based services for older people. Services are provided on the basis of assessed healthcare need. The HSE 2018 national service plan provides for over 17 million home support hours to be delivered to 50,500 people at any time. Intensive home care packages for people with more complex needs are being provided to approximately 235 people at any time delivering approximately 360,000 hours in the full year. A further 156,000 hours relating to adverse weather funding earlier this year will also be provided.

This year's home support budget for CHO 7 is about €47 million with an additional adjustment in spring of €1.4 million in view of sustained pressures in the community and to address delayed discharges in hospitals. At the end of June 2018, there were 6,683 people in receipt of home support services in the CHO 7 area.

Working within its available resources, the HSE has sought to maintain and, where possible, to expand the range and volume of services available to support people to remain in their own homes, to prevent early admission to long-term residential care and to support people to return home following an acute hospital admission. Despite this significant level of service provision, the demand for home support continues to grow. It is important to note that the allocation of funding for home supports across the system, though significant, is finite and services must, therefore, be delivered within the funding available. In that context, it is acknowledged that in some cases, access to the service may take longer than we would like.

However, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, is satisfied that the HSE monitors the delivery of home care on an ongoing basis to ensure that activity is maximised relative to the individual clients’ assessed care needs within the overall available resources for home support and having regard to demand throughout the year.

As part of the Estimates process, the Department is actively engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding funding for services for older people in 2019, including home support services. I have listened very carefully to the issues raised by Deputy O'Loughlin in regard to the 90 year old mother who is waiting and the person who is in Naas hospital due to the discharge issue. Deputy Heydon mentioned stroke victims and also the issue of hospital beds and home care packages. Of course, these are priority issues. I will bring the points raised in the debate to the attention of the Minister.

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