Wexford has one of the longest waiting lists for home care in the country. That’s according to the organisation Home and Community Care Ireland who say a simple change could essentially wipe out the waiting list for home care which currently stands at 6 thousand nationwide.
Nationwide there is a 6,000 long waiting list for home care support. This a contributor to the hospital and delayed discharge crisis, could be wiped out instantly if home care workers were permitted to take on more hours say Home and Community Care Ireland (HCCI).
The organisation that represents private home care providers is calling on Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys to permit a temporary suspension of social welfare earning thresholds to allow home carers work just three more hours per week without losing social welfare benefits.
Speaking about the problems on ‘Morning Mix’ CEO of HCCI Joseph Musgrave says “Home care waiting list could be wiped out at the stroke of pen”
He added that “Simply allowing 6,000 home care workers (half of the 12,000 carers employed in private sector) to take on three additional hours of work per week would provide one million more home care hours this year (18k hours per week). In essence that would provide care for all those people on the waiting list for home care – older and vulnerable people who need support to stay living in the safety and comfort of their own homes and communities. These are people who have been assigned funding for home care but are waiting on a carer to provide home care support. With a simple stroke of the Minister’s pen the waiting list would be wiped out! In addition, if the Government were to action this it would have a meaningful impact on the recruitment crisis in home care and, furthermore, help the Government meet its home care targets this year.”
You can hear the full interview with Joseph Musgrave here: https://pod.space/morningmix/wexford-has-one-of-the-longest-waiting-lists-for-home-care-in-the-country-hcci-s-ceo-joseph-musgrave-tells-us-the-solution
Morning Mix airs weekdays from 10am to 12pm on South East Radio.
