Written Answers. - Home Help Service.
John Gormley
Question:
267
Mr. Gormley
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
his plans to make more cut backs in the home help service in 2004 or if he will reverse cuts in 2003 which have resulted in reduced hours of service for many patients.
[25805/03]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the percentage increase of expenditure on the home help service in 2003, as compared with 2000, in each health board area, is as follows:
|
%
|
|
ERHA
|
45.74
|
|
NEHB
|
107.05
|
|
NWHB
|
153.13
|
|
MHB
|
147.81
|
|
MWHB
|
131.62
|
|
SEHB
|
155.07
|
|
SHB
|
154.47
|
|
WHB
|
122.98
|
The total increase in expenditure on the home help service across all health board areas since 2000 is 113.59%. The overall economic position in 2003, which has implications for all aspects of public investment, is reflected in the Estimates and budget adopted by the Government for 2003. Within this overall framework, however, some two thirds of the additional funding available for non-capital investment in services has been allocated to the health services. This funding is being applied largely to maintain existing levels of service across all service programmes, including the home help service.
There are a number of reasons there is an increased demand on the home help service, including the demographic fact that about 6,000 people are coming into the over-65 bracket every year. There is, proportionately, a bigger percentage increase in the more dependant over-80 category. These factors may necessitate some minor adjustments in the provision of the home help service. This means that although a small percentage of clients may have had their hours reduced in 2003, this has been counter-balanced by others receiving the service for the first time.
The only health board or authority where 2003 expenditure on the home help service is down on the 2002 figure to a significant degree is the North-Eastern Health Board. This is because the board overspent its home help budget in 2002 to the sum of €800,000 and, in accordance with accountability procedures, that amount had to be drawn down against the 2003 allocation. I have been assured by all health boards that the provision of the home help service is organised on the basis that the more vulnerable clients are given priority. I am also pleased to advise that a number of health boards are developing personal care packages that are more focused on individual care needs, such as public health nurse service, attendance at day care, day hospital and rehabilitation and the provision of respite care, home help and care assistance. I am actively encouraging health boards to introduce such care packages. It will be some weeks yet before the 2004 financial allocations to health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority are known.
