Home care packages
Information
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the delivery of public health community and home care supports at local level.
What is the Home Care Package scheme?
The Home Care Package (HCP) scheme is an administrative scheme, operated by the HSE. The scheme is aimed mainly at those requiring medium to high caring support to continue to live at home independently. The Home Care Package scheme is not established in law; as it is an administrative scheme, you neither have an automatic right to the scheme, nor to avail of services under the scheme.
There are no national guidelines on how to qualify for the scheme or how income or means are assessed. Some HSE Administrative Areas assess income on the same basis as medical cards. Check with your Local Health Office for more details on how the scheme operates in your area.
Each HSE Administrative Area has responsibility for the operation of its own scheme. This means that schemes vary in different parts of the country depending on the local population, your individual needs, the personnel available to deliver services and demand in your area.
What does the Home Care Package scheme consist of?
Each support package is tailored to your individual needs. Broadly speaking, they may include the services of nurses, home care attendants, home helps and the various therapies including physiotherapy services and occupational therapy services. Your individual package will vary according to your medical condition and the level of care required. For example, there might be a greater emphasis in some packages on home care assistants while other packages may require a greater level of therapy and nursing, depending on individual need.
Rules
Who is the Home Care Package scheme aimed at?
The main priority of the HCP scheme is older people living in the community or those who are in-patients in acute hospitals at risk of admission to long term care.
Home care packages may also be available to those older people who have been admitted to long term care and who can (with support), return to the community. Packages may be offered to those already using existing core services, such as home helps, but who may need more assistance to continue to live in their community.
Home care packages may also be available occasionally for younger people whose needs would be best met by access to older people's services, for example, in the situation of early-onset dementia.
How does a Home Care Package work?
The type of package available will depend on the needs of the individual concerned. There is currently a range (about six or seven) of different types of package available. The HSE is working on standardising a national needs assessment of all individuals.
In the meantime however, there is no standard assessment of the needs of people who apply for this scheme and no rules about how any assessment are carried out. In the majority of cases, your public health nurse will assess your care needs and will determine with you and your family how your needs would be most appropriately met.
In some parts of the country, the general rule is where someone requires more than 10 hours caring services per week, they can apply for entry to this scheme. The number of hours support provided by the HSE will again depend on your individual needs.
Services may be provided by the HSE directly, or by voluntary and community organisations on behalf of the HSE. In some instances, you may employ a private carer or home help service. In this instance, you effectively become the employer of that person and as an employer, you will have certain duties and obligations.
The HSE are working in conjunction with a number of other government departments to examine other issues associated with home care supports. For example work is underway with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to ensure that the packages being delivered are flexible and include a structured cash payment and other supports.
The HSE is also working with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Social Protection to ensure that housing issues and income support issues are taken into account in planning for the future needs of patients and families.Rates
Home Care Packages are tailored to meet individual needs. This means that services vary and typical packages of support available under the scheme may be worth between €350-500 per week in respect of each patient, depending on individual need. As outlined above, the Package may consist of:
- Services provided directly by the HSE, or
- Services provided on behalf of the HSE by a voluntary organisation, or
- A direct weekly payment from the HSE allowing you to purchase services privately, or
- A combination of the above.
If you are to receive the weekly payment, your Local Health Office can advise on how the payment will be made to you and can advise on how your income and means are assessed.
Again, there are no national guidelines on how income is assessed.
If you employ someone in your home (for example, a private carer) funded through a Home Care Package or from your own resources, you become their employer. As an employer, you have various duties and obligations. Revenue has a useful leaflet on the Domestic Employer Scheme (pdf).
If you pay part or all of the costs from your own resources, you can avail of tax concessions.How to apply
You can download the Home Care Package Scheme Application Form (pdf) or get a copy from your Local Health Office. The HSE will then contact you to arrange to carry out a Care Needs Assessment.
Staff in your Local Health
Office will be happy to provide any further information you require.
Where to apply
You apply to the Home Care Package office in your Local Health Centre .
Language
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Contact Us
If you have a question relating to this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm) or you can visit your local Citizens Information Centre.