Numbers of private home care firms ‘unknown’

THE HSE has “no idea” how many private firms are providing a private home care service to the elderly because they are not registered or supervised, it has been claimed.

It is known that there are at least 150 providers, but according to Dermot Kirwan of the Friends of the Elderly organisation, there could be more who are not even registered with the Companies Registration Office. He said the whole area was a money-spinner for investors who had no experience in running such a service.

Mr Kirwan, who assisted a Prime Time investigation on the provision of private home care packages, said it was a disgrace that you need a licence to run dog kennels, but you don’t need one to run a home care service for the elderly. He said there have been problems in relation to the provision of private home care packages “for a long time”.