Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her attendance as I have a serious issue to discuss. I seek a status report on the home care supports that are available in the Carlow-Kilkenny region. I also want to know if supports are available, whether they are accessible and how many people await the supports because I have seen and heard conflicting information on the issue. I want to know the actual position in order that I can inform the people who want to know as they are people in my area who have asked for my help.

New data furnished to my Fianna Fáil colleague, Deputy Mary Butler, in the Dáil state that the number of people awaiting home care supports has increased from 6,238 at the end of March to 7,346 in the four months leading up to July. This week, we learned that the HSE's figures revealed that last month almost 800 patients across the country had not been discharged despite being deemed medically fit. Yesterday, staff in hospitals assessed patients to see who they could send home to ensure safety in the event that Storm Lorenzo is worse than first thought. However, I have seen figures that were supplied to the Department of Health that show no one is awaiting home care supports in Carlow-Kilkenny. Officially I have not been given the number of people waiting for supports in Carlow-Kilkenny but I tried to acquire them. I assure the Minister of State present that people await the supports because at least seven families have contacted my office about the matter. I am only one local representative so one can imagine how many more people have made representations to their local politicians.

I am referring to people who cannot leave their hospital setting without important supports being put in place. These are people who may be unable to fight for themselves. In most cases I am contacted by family members inquiring about the provision of supports. I am aware that moneys were provided to the HSE for it to provide these services. Unfortunately, people have contacted my office stating that they have not received the services, despite needing them.

I have heard, anecdotally, of people with severe needs not having anyone to care for them at home and being told that they do not qualify for anything. Patients have been told there is no availability of home care supports in their areas but not to tell anyone, to stop asking for help and to find another solution. I cannot accept such a situation. I have been told by staff in the hospitals and HSE respite settings that they can do nothing for their patients other than hope they can go home because they are in much needed beds that are sought by many other patients. Often people waiting to be discharged suffer a significant deterioration in their health. These people are forced into lengthy stays in hospitals, despite being well enough to be discharged or moved into a nursing home or retirement home rather than being allowed to stay in their own home, which is where they want to be.

We pay for health services by paying taxes but we do not get value for money. We seem to be just putting an ever increasing amount into the children's hospital without fixing existing major problems. We should get more for our money and get value for money. Patients repeatedly lose out and staff are frustrated by these issues as they know here are ways to fix them but they are not being addressed.

Yesterday, we heard that the HSE has a deficit of €280 million and will now try to clawback overspending by cutting the spending on agency staff's overtime and staffing levels. Every year more money is poured into an inefficient system and life is not improved for patients. Not having the correct numbers frightens me. If people are not being counted, how can we help them? There is a genuine care need for these people and the Department wants to help. I am concerned that if the Department does not get the accurate figures, these patients will not be helped. As late as yesterday I had to deal with a family, which is one of many, as the father in the household was in hospital. He was told that there was no home care package for him and he was sent home. He was told that he would get a bed and the facility would try to sort out a bed for him. He was also told that the occupational therapist would pay him a visit when she had an opportunity. I cannot get him medical aids in the form of a seat and a Zimmer frame. I will contact the local authority to get him a bathroom adaptation grant. The service is not fit for purpose. I am more worried that the Department is saying that Carlow-Kilkenny does not have a waiting list for home care packages and patients are being sent home but told nothing is in pace and there are no home care packages.