HSE National Service Plan 2024 will leave 7,500 without home care

Despite demand for home support set to double by 2030 capacity is reduced

Dublin, 16^th February 2024: 7,500 people will be left without home care this year according to the newly published HSE National Service Plan 2024. The HSE aims to provide 22 million home care hours in 2024, despite the 2023 target being 23.9 million hours and the HSE’s own acknowledgement that demand for home care will increase by 4% this year. This gap between target hours and actual need will mean 7,500 people without home care support.

Joseph Musgrave, CEO, HCCI said, “By the HSE’s owns metrics, as of 12 months ago, 7,500 more people should be provided with home care in 2024. Demand for home care is expected to be double 2018 levels by 2030. Despite this, the home care system’s capacity is going backwards. The HSE National Service Plan shows we are not keeping pace with current demand let alone the huge projected increase within the next 5-6 years.” 

“In its newly published National Service Plan, the HSE states that it will partner with voluntary groups to meet older persons needs but shies away from highlighting its crucial partnership with the private home care sector. This is despite the fact that the private sector provides 50% of home care support to people across the country. The private sector is ready and willing to work with the HSE and Government to meet the steep increases in demand hurtling down the track. We need to grasp this nettle together very quickly before the system – which is already buckling under the strain – is completely overwhelmed.”

HCCI welcomes a move towards a disability home support authorisation scheme. In its plan,the HSE commits to developing a procurement framework (or authorisation scheme) by Q2 2024.

“This is very welcome and should be implemented without delay in order to prevent a two-tier home care sector,” said Musgrave. 

However, HCCI warned that delays to the interRAI assessment roll out and digital procurement is impeding progression of the Statutory Home Support Scheme.

“With only 17% of the targeted 18,000 interRAI assessments delivered in 2023, and with no update on the recruitment of interRAI assessors or buy-in from clinicians, HCCI has no confidence that the 2024 target of 18,000 assessments will be met. High level intervention is now necessary to drive through the roll out of interRAI and digital tools.  The lack of a comprehensive national home support strategy is leading to disjointed policy development and our older, more vulnerable citizens are suffering as a result.”

“It is clear from its National Service Plan that the HSE is fully aware of the significant increase in older people in our population in the very near future. Yet, its resources and delivery targets are far off what is needed. A realistic, ambitious and collaborative approach is urgently needed. Otherwise, our older, more vulnerable citizens will continue to be severely short changed.”