As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the provision of health services in the Drogheda area rests with the North Eastern Health Board in the first instance. The board has advised my Department that clients for home support services are assessed and hours allotted according to need. The assessment takes the family input into account. Situations have been discovered, as part of the regular review process, where relatives, who wanted a more extensive service, that is, more household duties, etc., done, have supplemented the hours over and above what the board has allocated to meet the needs of the client. The board, or the client's public health nurse, may never know or be told of this private arrangement between the client, the client's family and the home help.
The board, further advise that it is not the policy of the board or it's staff to advise clients to seek additional hours from home helps in any private capacity. The board also stated it would take a serious view of any home help who, on their own initiative, suggested or sought additional hours from a client in a private capacity. I would suggest to the Deputy that if he is aware of circumstances in which this has happened, he should provide details to the North Eastern Health Board.