Vol. 572 No. 3
369 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has been monitoring the extension of home help hours in accordance with his strategy for the elderly and for com munity care; and the trend in man hours by health boards in 2001, 2002 and 2003. [23198/03]
The home help service in this country was established under section 61 of the Health Act 1970 and became operative in 1972 when circular 11/72 was sent to the chief executive officer of each health board. Section 61 of the Health Act 1970 states that a health board "may make arrangements to assist in the maintenance at home of certain categories of people". Broad guidelines were then drawn up by the health board chief executive officers in order that the scheme could be administered in a flexible manner.
The increase in expenditure on home help services since the year 2000 is 113.59%. The level of funding allocated to this service is determined by each health board and the Eastern Regional Health Authority from within their overall financial determination. In addition, my Department allocates, from time to time, specific additional funding to improve the level of home help service provided and, also, the pay of home helps. This has happened, in recent years, as follows:
|
Year |
Additional Funding toincrease supply ofHome Helps |
Additional Funding Toimprove pay of HomeHelps, over and aboveNational Pay Rounds |
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
1999 |
1.905 |
3.797 |
|
2000 |
0.990 |
13.306 |
|
2001 |
2.540 |
4.444 |
|
2002 |
2.093 |
– |
|
Board |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
ERHA. Northern Area Health Board |
Not available |
535,720 |
576,788 (estimate) |
|
ERHA. South Western Area Health Board |
Not available |
949,680 |
618,247 (Jan to Aug 2003) |
|
ERHA. East Coast Area Health Board |
282,642 |
338,953 |
253,632 (Jan to Aug 2003) |
|
Midland Health Board. |
|||
|
Longford |
163,954 |
220,472 |
145,520 |
|
Westmeath |
128,030 |
138,895 |
82,687 |
|
Laois |
Not available |
89,666 |
82,954 |
|
Offaly |
137,269 |
155,869 |
128,672 (to September 2003) |
|
Mid-Western Health Board |
610,189 |
695,221 |
402,312 (January to July 2003 incl) |
|
North Eastern Health Board |
783,078 |
868,390 |
783,078 (total) |
|
North Western Health Board |
606,300 |
678,744 |
341,088 (January to June 2003) |
|
South Eastern Health Board |
650,555 |
772,937 |
615,837 (to September 2003) |
|
Southern Health Board |
2,454,484 |
2,608,972 |
1,732,020 (to August 2003) |
|
Western Health Board |
824,409 |
670,401 |
646,005 (to August 2003) |
370 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the need for a non-means tested caring grant related to the needs of a person being cared for at home. [23199/03]
As Minister of State with responsibility for services for older people, I initiated home based subvention schemes and personal care packages and I am keen to ensure there successful implementation. As the Deputy may also be aware, the introduction of a home based subvention was recommended in the national health strategy Quality and Fairness: A Health System for You and in the report Review of the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme. This approach is consistent with Government policy of maintaining older people in their own homes in dignity and independence for as long as possible in accordance with their wishes. The introduction of a home based subvention scheme will be undertaken in consultation with other Government Departments, including the Department of Social and Family Affairs, and issues such as the payment of carer's allowance and means testing will be taken into account as part of the development of an integrated approach to the payment for care in the home.
