Vulnerable older people and younger groups with disabilities are in danger of being left at serious risk as a result
Cuts to home care supports are expected to be approved for several counties from this week.
Vulnerable older people and younger groups with disabilities are in danger of being left at serious risk as a result.
According to the Irish Independent, an internal HSE circular sent by officials to services in the area covering Dublin South City, Dublin South-West, Dublin West, Kildare and West Wicklow warned that only people in critical urgent need and those requiring palliative end-of-life care will be approved for home care from this week.
It means other people at increased risk who fall into the category known as “high need” will be excluded if they apply from now on.
Also excluded are people in “moderate” need who cannot be approved for the service this year.
This will particularly hit people who apply for home care who also need nursing supports for services such as administration of medications.
The circular states that requests for increases, up to a maximum of 21 hours, will only be “considered in exceptional circumstances”.
It leaves them at greater risk of having to go into a nursing home, or deteriorating at home and ending up in a hospital emergency department if they do not have a relative or friend to look after them.
Asked to comment on the implications of the circular, Joseph Musgrave, chief executive of Home and Community Care Ireland, which represents providers contracted by the HSE to provide home care, said the reported details of the circular are “draconian, that defy all reason”.
The HSE circular adds: “Please ensure that all future referrals and applications adhere strictly to the above criteria in order to ensure continued delivery of essential services.”
The HSE Dublin Midlands region was contacted for comment.
HSE regions are experiencing huge demand for home care, and many areas have already exceeded targets for the numbers of people covered and the hours delivered.
About 5,000 nationally were on a waiting list for home care in recent months.
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