Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021
483. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the required assistance and support to the home care sector with particular reference to commencing the statutory home support scheme as soon as possible and being in a position to facilitate the best possible model of care for persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59848/21]
View answerEnabling people with care-needs to continue to live independently at home for as long as possible is a priority for me and for Government as a whole. 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.
Work is on-going within the Department to progress 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 for home-support services.
In relation to the regulatory framework, with the aim of ensuring that all service-users are provided with a standard, high-quality level of care which is safe, effective, and person-centred, it is envisaged that the framework will comprise (i) primary legislation for the licensing of public and private home support providers; (ii) minimum requirements (regulations); and (iii) HIQA National Standards for Home Support Services.
Earlier this year, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for home-support providers. This is being progressed by the Department with a view to bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. It is expected that the primary legislation will give the Minister for Health the power to make regulations in respect of minimum requirements which will form the criteria against which a provider’s eligibility to hold a licence will be determined.
The options for the funding of the new scheme are being examined through work with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on the projected demand for, and cost of, home-support services in various scenarios.
In parallel to this, work is ongoing in relation to the development of a reformed model of service delivery. In 2021 funding was secured for the Health Service Executive to: (i) progress the roll-out of interRAI as the standard assessment tool for care-needs in the community; (ii) pilot a reformed model of service-delivery for home-support; and (iii) establish a National Office for Home Support Services.
A comprehensive and robust operational model for the rollout of interRAI has been developed which will facilitate effective, efficient, fair, and transparent care needs assessment and planning and appropriate service delivery. The interRAI outputs and pilot site evaluation will be critical to the development of the new home-support scheme. Funding has been provided for the recruitment of 130 posts for the national rollout of interRAI as the single assessment tool for care needs in the community.
A National Home Support Office is in the process of being established. Over the last two years, the annual home-support budget has been increased significantly. In Budget 2021, an extra €150 million was allocated to fund 5 million additional hours of home-support for older people. In Budget 2022, the extra €150 million has been maintained.
The testing of the reformed model of service delivery for home-support commenced in November 2021 in the first of the four pilot sites, namely CHO 8. It is envisaged that the three other sites - CHOs 2, 4 and 7 - will be fully operational by January 2022.
A Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group is currently being established. The role of the group will be to facilitate the views of stakeholders and examine workforce challenges in home support and nursing homes. A call for submissions was announced on Friday 3rd December 2021.
