Colm Burke
Question:338. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to address home support waiting lists in CHO 4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6000/24]
View answerThursday, 8 February 2024
Questions (338, 339)
Colm Burke
Question:339. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to recruit more home care workers in CHO 4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6001/24]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together.
The Government has started implementing the findings of a Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Health Care Assistants set up to examine workforce challenges. Work continues to deliver on the recommendations of the Advisory Group. A cross-departmental Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health has been established to oversee progress. The group meets quarterly and publishes progress reports thereafter. The most recent meeting was on 12 October 2023 and a progress report has been published. The next meeting was held on 1 February 2024.
A new and improved HSE Home Support Tender has been in place since August 2023. This delivers on commitments for sectoral reform such as payment for travel time for home support providers, paying carers the National Living Wage at a minimum, and bringing legacy rates in line with the new revised rates of funding. It is expected that the new tender should assist in the sourcing of additional hours to address current unmet need within the total budget allocation.
449 employment permits for homecare workers, as part of an initiative in partnership with Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment in relation to 1,000 employment permits for non-EEA homecare have issued between 16 December 2022 and 31 December 2023.
As the issues raised are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. The Fórsa action has now ended. However, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
Question No. 339 answered with Question No. 338.