Séamus Hughes
Ceist:85 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the progress, if any, that has been made to standardise home-help rates throughout the respective health board areas. [2289/96]
Written Answers - Home Help Rates.
Limerick East): The underlying philosophy governing the operation of the home help scheme is that it is a community based ‘good neighbour’ scheme which would attract people primarily motivated by the desire to engage in community services. Volunteers who work as part-time home helps are paid a stipend or gratuity for the service they provide. This gratuity is meant only as a contribution and is not intended to compensate fully for the task undertaken.
The payments made to home helps vary throughout the country and the rates are determined by the particular requirements and type of task undertaken. It is a matter for each health board to decide on the level of home help services required and the level of payment to be made in respect of these services. The chief executive officer of each health board is in the best position to decide on these issues and my Department has no involvement in the day to day management of this service.
The organisation of the home help service came under scrutiny in a report commissioned and published by the National Council for the Elderly in November 1994. My Department, in consultation with the chief executive officers of the health boards, is currently considering a number of aspects of the home help scheme, including the overall organisation of the service and the variations from board to board.