At any one time, around 600 patients are left in hospital because there isn’t appropriate home care supports or step-down facilities available
The Government must urgently address the lack of home care services, according to Social Democrats co-leader and Health spokesperson Róisín Shortall.
“While it’s welcome that the HSE and the Minister for Health are now dealing with the issue of delayed discharges, their response has come very late in the day. It should not have taken this entirely predictable crisis for them to act.
“At any one time, around 600 patients are left in hospital because there isn’t appropriate home care supports or step-down facilities available. That is the case even outside of the winter months.
“Every one of these delayed discharge figures represents a patient who is ready to leave hospital, many of whom wish to either return to their own home with appropriate supports or, alternatively, access a rehabilitation bed.
“Simply transferring large numbers of patients from a hospital bed to a private nursing home bed is not an appropriate solution. Dealing with these high delayed discharge figures once and for all will require a strong focus on home care services and better care in the community generally.
“Last October, well before the winter surge, a total of 6,125 people were on a waiting list for home care due to a shortage of carers. This scandalous lack of home care is a now permanent feature of our health service, and it is at the root of our high delayed discharge figures.
“This cannot be allowed to continue. The Minister for Health must immediately address staff shortages in home care and honour his commitment to urgently implement the recommendations of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group.
“Separately, this Government must stop dragging its heels on a statutory right to home care. This piece of legislation is already two years behind schedule so it must be a priority when the Dáil returns.”
January 9, 2023