Home support services were a particular focus in Budget 2018, with an additional €18.25m allocated. The total budget for home support services is now €408m. The HSE has operational responsibility for planning, managing and delivering home and other community-based services for older people. Services are provided on the basis of assessed health-care need.
The HSE 2018 National Service Plan provides for over 17 million home support hours to be delivered to 50,500 people at any time. The HSE is currently exceeding its target service levels, providing home support to approximately 52,700 people.
The HSE, working within its available resources, has sought to maintain and where possible to expand the range and volume of services available to support people to remain in their own homes, to prevent early admission to long term residential care and to support people to return home following an acute hospital admission.
Despite this significant level of service provision, the demand for home support continues to grow. There is considerable demand for home support services over and above existing service levels. The Programme for Partnership Government includes commitments to increase funding for home support services and an additional funding of €112 million has been provided for home support services over the past three years.
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
