Care of the Elderly

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2012

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Questions (60)

Derek Keating

Question:

60. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Health the number of designated community-based social workers who are employed full-time to protect the elderly in the Dublin Mid-West Constituency of Lucan, Clondalkin, Rathcoole, Saggart, Newcastle and Palmerstown; would the Minister outline the timeframe from when a disclosure is reported to the Health Service Executive of a suspected abuse of an elderly person which will be dealt with by a designated social worker; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56969/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Policy in relation to elder abuse is derived from Protecting our Future, the Working Group on Elder Abuse Report 2002 and the 2009 Review of that Report. The Health Service Executive's Elder Abuse Service is comprised of a dedicated staffing structure throughout the country, unified data collection, national and regional oversight mechanisms, a research facility based in UCD and awareness and training programmes.

The dedicated staffing structure provides for 32 Senior Case Workers for the Protection of Older People (Social Workers) and 4 Dedicated Officers for the Protection of Older People. There is currently one designated full time Senior Case Worker allocated to this service in the area referred to in the question.

Because of the nature of referrals to this service, all cases are prioritised and responded to as a matter of urgency upon receipt of referral, including, in many cases, responding on the day of referral or the following day.

Question No. 61 answered with Question No. 33.

Question No. 62 answered with Question No. 51.