Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
609. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the measures taken to ensure section 39 organisations remain available to support their vulnerable customers during and after the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8017/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, health and social personal services are by their nature varied and complex. In some instances, the HSE itself delivers these services directly and in other circumstances, the HSE relies upon funded providers to deliver these services on its behalf. Sections 38 and 39 of the Health Act 2004 legally underpin
(a) the provision of services by non-statutory providers on behalf of the HSE (Section 38); and
(b) the provision of services similar or ancillary to a service that the HSE may provide (Section 39).
Amongst Section 39 voluntary organisations are hospices, mental health providers, nursing home and homecare providers, small community-based groups and social care services. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, each HSE Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) has an Area Crisis Management Team and all services have plans in place for providing supports during this period to ensure continuity of service provision. The HSE holds weekly teleconferences with key stakeholders, including Section 39 service providers, to identify and respond to challenges at local level,
As part of the HSE COVID 19 response, there is a requirement on each of the Area Crisis ManagementTeams to establish a number of Residential Care & Home Support Covid-19 Response Teams (CRT)to address COVID -19 outbreaks in their area. The purpose of these CRTs is to support the prevention, identification, and management of COVID 19 outbreaks across residential care facilities and Home Support services. These teams provide support across a range of nursing and medical care areas as well as Infection Prevention and Control. The teams also support residential care facilities/Approved centres in the catchment area whether they are public, Section 38, Section 39 or private facilities, and across the care groups of Older People, Disability, & Mental Health. In addition, they also address identified clusters of concern in the Home Support services, as determined by Public Health.
The HSE has put in place a structured governance process through which Section 39 organisations experiencing financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 public health emergency can engage to ensure, where appropriate, continuity of essential services provided by these agencies.
Finally I would like to acknowledge the vital role played by voluntary organisations, including those funded by the HSE under Section 39 of the Health Act, in ensuring a flexible and person-centred response to ensure continued support for our most vulnerable citizens during this challenging period, and as we prepare for the next phase of the response.
