Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the increases in staffing that have been achieved to deal with the crisis under the home help scheme and the carer respite services; the number of persons who are in hospital with their discharge delayed who are waiting to access these services; the number of carers who have been unable to continue as carers, due to the lack of respite services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20910/16]
View answerThe HSE’s National Service Plan for 2016 provides for a target of
- 10.4 million Home Help Hours to support about 47,800 people;
- 15,450 Home Care Packages; and
- 190 Intensive Home Care Packages for clients with complex needs, including 60 co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies under the Irish National Dementia Strategy.
Home support services are being stretched by demands from more people, and for more hours at times outside of core hours. Activity in the first quarter of 2016 was ahead of the same period last year as efforts continued to alleviate pressure on the acute hospital system. It should be noted that since 2015 the number of home helps employed by the HSE has risen from about 3,390 to 3,515 in whole-time equivalents.
I am delighted that the Government has been able to respond to this demand by providing an extra €40m for home care in 2016. As a result, not only are we maintaining home care services at 2015 levels, but increasing them.
As of 5 July 2016, there were 95 patients awaiting discharge from hospital to return home where they require home supports, 61 have applications currently being processed and the remaining 34 await funding.
Respite services may be provided in a number of different ways and settings to provide support for Carers. There are 1,955 short stay community public beds nationally providing combination of ‘step up/step down’ care, intermediate care, rehab and respite care. These are interchangeable in their use depending on demand.
There are no figures available on the numbers who have discontinued their caring role or why this may have happened.
The Government is committed to providing additional community supports to assist those with care needs and their carers, as shown by the additional resources recently provided and the importance attached to this area in the Programme for Partnership Government.
