Hundreds in Mayo are waiting for home help

Some 220 people are waiting on additional home support services in Co Mayo, according to new figures.

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne asked last week’s meeting of the Regional Health Forum West how many people in Mayo, who have applied to the HSE for home help, have been approved and have yet not received any. He also asked how many people currently receiving home help have sought additional hours but not received them.

John Fitzmaurice, Chief Officer of Community Healthcare West, informed Cllr Kilcoyne that 220 people are currently on the waiting list as of January 31. Some 120 people are waiting for new home support services, 95 of which are through community referral with 25 people through acute referral, while 100 people are waiting for additional services with 93 people through community referral and seven through acute.

Mr Fitzmaurice explained that community referral is when a person is referred through a GP or public health nurse and acute would be when someone is sent to hospital and as part of their discharge plan needs home help. 

Cllr Kilcoyne asked that a system be set up that will ensure people get home help, adding:

“It’s soul destroying, they may be living on their own and they're promised home help but it doesn’t arrive."