Written answers

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Department of Health

Home Help Service Eligibility

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Health if it is the case that he intends to introduce means testing for home care and other services for older persons and persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40042/13]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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No decisions of this nature have been taken.

In line with what we committed to in the Programme for Government, we have commenced a review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme. This review will consider the scheme's administration and structures, and also its sustainability in the longer term.

The review will consider the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services and the options that may exist for the future financing of community based services and of disability and mental health services. Work will continue on the review in the coming months with a view to completion by end 2013-early 2014. Primary legislation is likely to be needed to implement any changes resulting from this review.

The Value for Money and Policy review of disability services echoes Future Health- a Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015 in recommending the need to restructure service delivery, and improve organisational, financial, governance and accountability systems with the aim of providing a more effective and more accountable service. One of the recommendations of the VFM Review is to move towards a model of individualised budgeting, whereby individuals and their families will be given more choice and control over the service and supports they require. Any such model will have to be carefully considered and under-pinned by a resource allocation provision which will take account of peoples' needs and circumstances against a defined resource cap.

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