Hiqa seeking views on home care

Hiqa has launched a consultation process for caregivers, care providers, and those who receive care in the home to have their say in the development of new national standards for home support services.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has opened a public consultation on home care as part of developing new national standards for home support services. 

"We have an ageing population and there is an over-dependency on residential centres for older persons," said Rachel Flynn, Hiqa’s director of health information and standards and director of the National Care Experience Programme.

"Covid has probably put a spotlight on this even further. If you talk to anyone, everyone wants to stay in their home as long as they possibly can. The Government's statutory homecare scheme will help to support them to do that."

The programme for government 2020 committed to a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes and to provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care.

Currently an unregulated sector, Hiqa has launched a consultation process for caregivers, care providers, and those who receive care in the home to have their say in the development of new national standards for home support services.

Hiqa is eager to hear the experiences of both those providing and receiving care, to learn where standards are currently at and to identify ways of improving the service for all involved.

The standards will apply to all homecare services and will ensure they are enforced around the country.

Clear processes will be established for people receiving care and their advocates to give feedback or make complaints where necessary.

Ms Flynn said people must feel comfortable in making a complaint and be able to do so in the knowledge that it will be investigated where needed.

To take part, you can complete the online questionnaire here or downloading the feedback form here and emailing it to [e-mail].

Alternatively, you can send your feedback to: Health Information and Quality Authority, Draft National Standards for Home Support Services, Dublin Regional Office, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 E98Y.