Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
1799. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost required on top of budget 2021 commitments for the National Office for Home Support in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35539/21]
View answerEnabling people with care needs to continue to live independently at home for as long as possible is a priority for the Government. To advance this, the Government is committed to establishing a new, statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services, which the Department of Health is currently developing. It is envisaged that the new scheme will provide equitable access to high-quality services based on a person’s assessed care-needs.
Work is on-going within the Department to determine the optimal approach to the development of the new scheme within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms. This work encompasses the development of the regulatory framework for the new scheme; the examination of the options for the financing model for the scheme; and the development of a reformed model of service-delivery to underpin the scheme.
Funding was provided in 2021 for the HSE to progress the development of a reformed model of service delivery. This includes the roll-out of interRAI as the standard assessment for care-needs in the community; the testing of a reformed model of service-delivery for home-support; and the establishment of a National Home Support Office.
Within this context, funding of €1m was allocated in 2021 to establish the National Home Support Office to support the testing of the reformed model of service delivery and to work with the Department on the development of all aspects of the scheme. 2022 funding requirements will be considered in the context of this year's estimates process.
