Increased supports for older people in the new HSE service plan – Keane

Fine Gael Senator for Dublin South-West, Cáit Keane, has today (Thursday) welcomed the increased supports for older people in the new HSE Service Plan. Senator Keane was speaking following the announcement of an additional €10 million for the Fair Deal Scheme, the allocation of additional beds to deal with delayed discharges and the provision of increased supports to help older people stay in their own homes if they wish.

“The new HSE Service Plan is budgeting an additional €10 million for the Fair Deal Scheme which will provide for extra places next year. This brings the total budget for the Fair Deal Scheme for 2015 to €948.8m.

“This will support quality long-term residential care services for 22,361 older people under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, including 330 additional in 2015.

“A key component of Fine Gael’s last election manifesto was a commitment to help older people stay in their homes as long as possible. The new plan makes this possible with the inclusion of funding for community care services and measures to tackle delayed discharges. As part of a comprehensive suite of home care and community support services, home care packages will be available to an additional 600 older people, to enable them to live independently, in their own homes, for as long as possible.

“The new plan also provides for an additional 115 short stay hospital beds, including the opening of Mount Carmel, with 65 beds on a phased basis from March 2015. This measure will support older people in the most appropriate care setting and will support early discharge from acute hospitals, reduce delayed discharges and provide rehabilitation services to support the older person in returning to their home.

“There will be a joint approach to the management of delayed discharges in acute hospitals between the hospitals, primary care and clinical programmes to ensure the best possible solution for patients requiring long-term care.”