Written answers

Thursday, 5 June 2008

Department of Health and Children

Health Services

3:00 pm

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 20: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if guidelines have been changed in the number of home help hours that are allocated to elderly people; if so the way the needs are determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22179/08]

Photo of Máire HoctorMáire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The aim of the Home Help service is to enable older people to remain at home in their own homes for as long as possible. It is a critical support to older people in facilitating their early discharge from hospital or in preventing inappropriate admission to acute hospital and long-stay residential care.

There have been major improvements in the Home Help service in recent years. At the end of 2007, about 53,000 people were receiving Home Help services. Over 11.75 million Home Help hours were provided during 2007, compared to 9.1 million hours in 2005. At the end of the first quarter of 2008, a total of just over 3 million Home-Help hours has been provided by the HSE, which is 1.7% over target for that quarter. Given the level of demand for the service, and the increasing number and dependency of older people in the community, the focus has to be to ensure that Home-Helps are targeted at those who are most in need.

This service is, by its nature, flexible, in order to respond to clients' needs. The level of service required in individual cases will fluctuate from time to time, and will be affected by factors such as respite care, input by family members and admission to or discharge from hospital. Service provision may be increased as appropriate to meet individual needs. To ensure effective prioritisation of the service, assessments are undertaken at local level and are delivered to clients in accordance with individual circumstances and available resources.

While there are no existing national guidelines, the HSE are at present undertaking a variety of measures to encourage the professionalisation of the Home-Help service nationally. These include implementation of the Home-Help Agreement that has been reached to reflect the valuable partnership role of the voluntary sector in different areas of the country. In addition, the Executive is developing standards for Home-Care provision which would include guidelines for Home-Helps, to support service provision at local level. If the Deputy is aware of any particular case involving difficulties, due to changed circumstances, I would be happy to pursue this with the HSE.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.