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Home Care Packages

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 October 2020

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Ceisteanna (558)

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

558. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the status of the home care pilot scheme; and his plans to roll out the scheme further. [30292/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

A high-quality, consistent home-support service, focused on keeping people well in their homes and communities for as long as possible, is a key enabler to ensuring that people across a continuum of care get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. In this regard, my Department is in the process of developing a statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support.

Work is on-going within the Department to determine the optimal approach to the development of the statutory scheme within the broader context of the on-going reform of Ireland’s health and social care system, as envisaged in the Sláintecare Report (2017). While work undertaken in 2019 focussed on the design of the scheme, work in 2020 is focussing on the development of a framework for the regulation of home-support services. In addition, 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. This work will ensure that the funding model developed for the statutory scheme is fit for purpose.

Progress on the development of the scheme has been impacted by the ongoing work and diversion of resources as part of the response to COVID-19. In particular, the pilot of a reformed model of service-delivery, which had been scheduled to commence earlier this year has been delayed. The Department is currently in discussions with the HSE with a view to commencing the testing of a reformed model of service delivery to underpin the statutory scheme later this year and into 2021.

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