Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Government policy is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. This long established Policy is implemented by the HSE, and is realised through a range of community services such as Home-Help, Home Care Packages, Meals-on-Wheels, and Day/Respite care. Such supports have the added objective of reducing inappropriate admissions by older people to acute hospital or long-term residential care. The importance attached to these services is highlighted by the fact that, between 2006 and 2010, over €200 million additional funding was provided to the HSE to develop such supports for older people.

The HSE has responsibility for the delivery of the Home-Help service, in line with its HSE National Service Plan 2010. This commits the Executive to provide 11.98 million Home-Help hours nationally this year to over 54,000 people. The target for 2010 for Home-Help hours is unchanged over the 2009 figure. In addition to the mainstream Home-Help provision, the current Service Plan is designed to deliver Home Care Packages to around 9,600 people at any one time or to some 13,000 clients over the course of the year. Arising from an independent Evaluation of Home Care Packages, published by the Department in December last, the HSE subsequently established a Task Group to progress this year various improvements in home care provision generally. These include:- introduce standardised access and operational guidelines for the delivery of Home Care Packages; adopt a voluntary code of Quality Guidelines for Home Care Support Services for Older People ; and progress a new Procurement Framework for home care services.

In addition, the HSE is also developing Procedural Guidelines for the Home Help service which will standardise access to and allocation of Home Help hours to assist the Executive in managing the scheme in an equitable way across the country. The various Guidelines now being prepared are intended to allow the HSE adopt a more standardised approach nationally to the future provision of home care services and underscores this Governments continuing commitment to these services.