Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020
791. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a register to ensure consistency of qualification and care in the context of care assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5234/20]
View answerA report entitled 'Review of Role and Function of Health Care Assistants' was published in December 2018. The implementation of the recommendations from this review was agreed as part of the resolution for the Nurses Industrial Action 2019.
Recommendation 14.18 stated that a National Forum should be tasked with engaging the relevant parties to make a final recommendation on the appropriate option for registration (from those options as set out in section 11.6) to the Department of Health. However, as this National Forum has not yet been established, no review has taken place and therefore, no options are available for consideration.
In addition, section 11.1 of the review report outlined above, advises that the Final Report on the EU Project (SANCO/1/2009) states that before a recommendation for registration can be given, it has to be stated that registration without successful completion of HCA education and training is not possible.
Section 11.6 identifies that at present there are variable standards of training for HCAs, very little continuing and in-service education and training as well as a lack of governance and oversight for HCAs in the community. In addition, it notes that there are no parameters of practice set and there is confused accountability and role confusion with other related grades.
It is clear from the above, that there is a body of work required before the Department could be in a position to make a decision in relation to the introduction of a register for care assistants.
