Health Service Executive and Community Welfare Officers

Information

Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are employed throughout Ireland by the Health Service Exeuctive (HSE).

Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are based in health centres and are responsible for the day to day administration of Community Welfare Services. Community Welfare Services include schemes such as the Supplementary Welfare Allowance, medical cards, the Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance, Nursing Home Subventions and the Mobility Allowance.

Role of Community Welfare Officers (CWOs)

The majority of the work carried out by Community Welfare Officers is the administration of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. This scheme is funded and legislated for by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The types of payments made under this scheme include: weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance, rent supplement, Mortgage Interest Supplement, Diet and Heating Supplements, Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme and exceptional needs payments for items such as buggies, clothing, etc.

The Community Welfare Officer is responsible for assessing the income of a person applying for payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. This assessment may involve home visits to verify a person's place of residence for Rent Supplement purposes or simply to interview someone in surroundings that are more comfortable if he or she has special needs or is unable to visit his or her local health centre in person.

The Community Welfare Officer will actively refer individuals to other state agencies and/or voluntary organisations if these are appropriate to the client's needs. For example, the Community Welfare Officers may refer you to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) or the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

In some areas (particularly rural areas), CWOs will also deal with applications relating to medical cards and Nursing Home Subventions. In urban areas such as Dublin, Cork or Galway, there are specific sections within the HSE that deal with these and other schemes.

Rules

Decisions made by Community Welfare Officers

Community Welfare Officers make decisions relating to applications from people under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. While the Community Welfare Officer makes the decision, he or she may consult his or her immediate manager (the Superintendent Community Welfare Officer). In some cases, the Superintendent Community Welfare Officer will also be consulted to review an application or a case (particularly in more complex cases).

Appealing a decision of a Community Welfare Officer

If you are unhappy with a decision of a Community Welfare Officer or a Superintendent Community Welfare Officer, you may appeal the decision. Some administrative areas of the Health Service Executive (HSE) have appointed appeals officers. In areas where there are no appeals officers, you should make your appeal in writing to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the HSE Area.

If your appeal concerns a payment of basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Mortgage or Rent Supplement, you have a further right to have your appeal heard by the Social Welfare Appeals Board. Discretionary payments such as those that come under the heading of Exceptional Needs Payments cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of your appeal, you may take your case to the Office of the Ombudsman or seek judicial review in the High Court.

Rates

There is no charge for making an appeal against a decision of a Community Welfare Officer or a Superintendent Community Welfare Officer. There is also no charge for appealing a decision to the Office of the Ombudsman or to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

There may be costs connected with seeking judicial review in the High Court. You may be eligible for legal aid in this instance.

How to apply

Contact your Local Health Office for information on opening times of health centres in your area. The Local Health Office will also be able to let you know if there is an appeals/complaints officer in your HSE Administrative Area and what schemes your local Community Welfare Officer is responsible for.

Where To Apply

Information relating specifically to the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is available from your Local Health Office and:

Department of Social and Family Affairs,
Aras Mhic Dhiarmada,
Store Street,
Dublin 1.
Telephone: (01) 704 3000