David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1516. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the home first pilot schemes; the location of each; if the schemes are operational; if not, when they will be operational; the nature and operation of these pilot projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14513/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The development of a new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services is a key objective of the Government, which the Department of Health is currently progressing. Work to determine the optimal model for, and approach to, the development of the new scheme within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms is being advanced through workstreams on regulation, financing, and service-delivery.

In 2021 a reformed model of service-delivery for home-support services will be piloted in selected areas across the country. The Department and the HSE are currently finalising these plans and it is envisaged that the testing will commence in the second half of this year. The selection of the areas in which the pilot will be conducted will be shared with stakeholders once these are agreed.

Informed by the use of the interRAI single assessment tool across the pilot-sites, the pilot will support:

- the determination of the scope of the services to be included in the new scheme;

- the development of care-bands as a framework for resource-allocation;

- the development of the clinical governance model for the new scheme;

- the development of the structures and processes through which the services will be delivered.

More broadly the pilot will also inform the development of the financing and commissioning models for the new scheme.

The pilot will be evaluated through an action-research project to be undertaken concurrently, ensuring that the findings inform the development of the service-delivery model for the new scheme as the pilot progresses.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1517. To ask the Minister for Health if he has discussed home first policy measures with other Departments such as the Departments of Justice, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and Enterprise, Trade and Employment on ways to increase and ensure that Ireland has a sufficient pool of qualified home carers to fulfil the home first policy in respect of home care in the years ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14514/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government (2020) commits to the introduction of “a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care.” In this regard, my Department is in the process of developing a statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support.

As part of this work, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is undertaking a programme of research on behalf of the Department on the demand for, and cost of, home support. Following this, work will be undertaken to examine the associated workforce requirements for the introduction of such a scheme and my Department will engage with other sectors as required in this regard.