Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

3. To ask the Minister for Health the number of home help workers employed directly by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25760/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Improving access to home support is a priority for the Government. Since Budget 2021, we have provided approximately 230 million euro in additional funding. Preliminary data indicates that over 22 million hours of home support were provided in 2023, exceeding the HSE’s target. This is more than has ever been delivered before.

The latest preliminary data also indicates that, by the end of April, approximately 7.5 million home support hours had been delivered nationally to over 56,000 people. This is approximately 590,000 more hours than at the same time last year.

Home support is delivered through a combination of HSE direct services, provided by HSE workers, and home support delivered by private profit and not-for-profit providers under the HSE’s Authorisation Scheme.

Close to 40% of home support is delivered directly by the HSE. As of April 2024, there were 5,047 Healthcare Assistants – Home Support employed by the HSE. This represents 3,739 whole time equivalents. Since 2019, this staff cohort has increased by 174 WTE or 4.9%.

There is a recruitment pause in place in the HSE, nationally, but home support staff recruitment is exempt from this where the posts are to facilitate discharge from hospital. The HSE has also encouraged its Chief Officers, where appropriate, to consider increasing the hours of current home support staff who may have additional capacity.