Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

75. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of the huge demand for home help and home care packages and that there are waiting lists developing for these services; how many home care packages and home help hours it is intended to introduce under the new programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13788/16]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In 2016, the Health Service Executive has a core provision of €324m for home supports.

The HSE’s National Service Plan for this year provides for a target of:

- 10.4 million Home Help Hours to support about 47,800 people;

- 15,450Home Care Packages; and

- 130 Intensive Home Care Packages for clients with very complex needs.

- A further 60clients with dementia will be supported with co-funding from Atlantic Philanthropies under the Irish National Dementia Strategy.

Prudent management of available resources is needed as demand for services increases and the HSE is working to most effectively target those with the greatest need, and to provide the best possible contribution to the system as a whole. Services are being stretched by demands from more people, and for more hours at times outside of core hours, in the evenings and at weekends, all of which cost more. Decisions on resource allocations are made and reviewed by front line staff who are familiar with the client’s individual needs and circumstances. All relevant factors are carefully balanced so that as many people as possible can viably stay at home and enjoy the best possible quality of life. Those who cannot be provided with a service immediately are risk-assessed and placed on a waiting list for resources as they become available.

Notwithstanding the significant improvements in the overall economic position that we have seen in recent times, pressures continue to apply across the health service. There is no doubt that home care needs more resources than are currently available, and for this reason the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to increasing funding for Home Care Packages and Home Help. The planning and management of future health expenditure will be considered as part of the annual estimates and budgetary process which seeks to balance available funding across all of the various service areas to achieve the best possible outcomes for the greatest number of service users and prioritise areas of greatest need. The Minister for Health has already stated that he will seek additional resources for home support services in the next Budget.