Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to regulate private home care providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41852/09]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Government policy in relation to older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and where this is not feasible for whatever reason, to support access to quality, long-term affordable residential care. The priorities of the Department in relation to older people in recent times have been the introduction of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, and the bringing into force of new regulatory standards for the long-term residential care sector.

The Department, however, is also cognisant of the number of older people living in the community, a large percentage of whom do so with the assistance of the State, family members, carers, or a combination of all three. In accordance with both a recommendation of the Long Term Care Working Group, and a commitment under "T 2016", earlier this year the Department commissioned an independent Evaluation of Home Care Packages. This report, by PA Consulting, has been received recently in the Department, and will be published shortly, following consideration by the Minister. The report will help inform future policy and service direction for services for older people generally, including improvements to be introduced in 2010 to the Home Care Package Initiative provided by the Health Service Executive.

In the context of the issue raised by the Deputy, two other relevant reports on home care were also recently completed. A Consultation Paper by the Law Reform Commission, entitled Legal Aspects of Carers, was published last July and considers the legal issues surrounding home care. It makes a number of provisional recommendations in the area of standards and regulations generally, including vetting, training and supervision. It also provisionally recommends giving a function to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), in relation to professional home care. Any such changes would require primary legislation and detailed stakeholder consultations.

A report, Implementation of the Home Care Package Scheme,undertaken by the National Economic and Social Forum on Home Care Packages, was launched on 28 October last. This acknowledges that while the Home Care Package Initiative was a well thought out policy, various improvements are required in relation to implementation, including training and vetting of staff. The Department accepts the need for a more standardised approach to the regulation of home care generally, whether by public or private provision. The Department, and the HSE, are at present considering issues such as:

agreeing national standardised access and operational guidelines for delivery of Home Care Packages; and

the adoption and dissemination by the HSE of a voluntary code of Quality Guidelines for Home Care Support Services for Older People, which will apply to public and private providers.

In addition to these measures, the Department is also considering the Law Reform Commission's recommendations in the context of possible changes to legislation and regulation in the area of home care for older persons generally.