Vulnerable adults waiting up to 18 months for safeguarding assessment 

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy hit out at the 'postcode lottery' to which patients and vulnerable people are subjected in accessing services and assessments depending on where they live in the country. File picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

Almost 500 vulnerable adults are awaiting assessment from the HSE's safeguarding and protection team, it has emerged.

The HSE has confirmed a backlog across parts of Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow means some residents of disability and older persons' services have been waiting since March of last year to have their safeguarding plans reviewed.

The figures were released to Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy, who had asked for details relating to the current backlog of unreviewed safeguarding concerns in respect of the abuse of adults.

The HSE confirmed that one HSE region, CHO7, has a backlog with 499 people awaiting review.

Ms Murphy hit out at the "postcode lottery" to which patients and vulnerable people are subjected in accessing services and assessments depending on where they live in the country.

"There's an issue that needs to be dealt with nationally, rather than just one area, to make sure that there's a consistency of service.

We've been calling for an objective resource allocation rather than this postcode lottery, where over years we have seen in one place there is a two-month queue for something, and in another place it's a two-year wait. It can't just be about being unlucky, there is either a national service provided or there isn't."

Responding to Ms Murphy's parliamentary question, Tim Hanly, general manager of the HSE's National Safeguarding Office, said work to address the backlog that developed in CHO7 was under way and additional resources had been allocated to assist with this.

"In addition, current concerns are being processed in a timely manner with work on the backlog happening simultaneously."

However, Ms Murphy said: "Essentially, there isn't a service there, that's the only conclusion you can read into this. This an example of the postcode lottery. You can't say that there is a national service being provided by the HSE when there's such a big gap."

Mr Hanly said safeguarding preliminary screenings are submitted by designated officers within each residential setting to the HSE safeguarding and protection teams for oversight.

"Where there is an outcome of reasonable grounds or further information required, each service would also submit a safeguarding plan which is then also oversight reviewed by the HSE safeguarding team.

"The safeguarding plans are considered on a triage priority basis and currently one safeguarding team in CHO7 has a backlog of safeguarding plans for review," he confirmed.

Separately, Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane has called on the Government to urgently advance adult safeguarding legislation and amendments to the Patient Safety Act, to mandate reporting of suspected abuse and to introduce safeguards to prevent abuse of adults in vulnerable situations.

He also wants to ensure there is accountability for organisations and management that fail in their statutory duty to protect patients.

"From Leas Cross and Áras Attracta, to the Brandon case in Ard Greine, and the ongoing investigation into the Grace case, we are unfortunately all too familiar with cases of abuse, neglect, and dereliction of duty in the health and social care system," he said.