The elderly are suffering without home help because HSE support budgets are frozen, a former Justice Minister claimed yesterday.
Deputy Brendan Smith added the State’s failure to look after vulnerable older and sick people amounts to “cruelty”.
The Fianna Fail TD said: "How can the Government agree to spending the excessive €3billion for broadband but can't come up with a budget to make sure the old and infirm have access to community care when the go home?
“This moratorium has the knock-on effect of seriously impacting on the mental health of these people as well increasing the waiting lists for patients urgently requiring acute beds.
“As a candidate in the MEP elections, I know that such cruelty is not what is expected of a Member State.”
The former Fianna Fail Justice Minister has been inundated with complaints from constituents who have been left without any home support.
He said: “Since mid-March there has been no new home help hours approved for patients. There are patients that have been approved for home help but are waiting for it to be provided.
“I’m aware that in many cases these are people who need that assistance and they are very vulnerable without having the necessary supports.
“I know from representations there are delays getting home help and I have been happening and I have been consistently raising how people are approved for home help and how it’s a considerable length of time before it’s put in place.
“In many instances there are people living on their own and don’t have immediate family support and who need that assistance and it’s not there.
“We know that there are people medically discharged from hospital and want to get home but because of the delays in providing support they have to stay in an acute hospital bed. This makes no sense whatsoever.
When contacted the HSE refused to confirm budgets have been frozen but admitted services are stretched.
In a statement the HSE said: “All those waiting are assessed and provided with a service as soon as possible. In addition, people being discharged from acute hospitals, who can return home with supports, are prioritised.”
