Home support services withdrawn

Home support services were withdrawn from 14 homes in Cavan over the past month due to a shortage of agency staff. The Health Services Executive (HSE) confirmed that one of its contract agencies withdrew the services but said that alternative services had since been arranged for the clients affected. The agency concerned is the Irish Home Care agency, which has a contract with the HSE to provide home support services in the Cavan area. #In a short statement issued to the Anglo Celt, the agency management said: 'It is with regret that we had to withdraw services from our HSE clients in the Cavan area. All appropriate notices have been furnished in accordance with our contractual terms with the HSE before withdrawal of any services.' However, one client availing of services in the Ballyjamesduff area, who does not wish to be named, claimed that her home support worker did not turn up one day last week and that she had no prior notice of the withdrawal of service. The lady said that neither the HSE, the agency, nor her home worker informed her of the situation. 'They hadn"t the decency to let me know. Just, nobody turned up and I was left stuck,' she claimed. The lady in question said that the HSE had since issued her with a grant to source alternative home support but that the onus was on her to employ somebody. Meanwhile, on the issue of notice, the HSE said that it had received notice, by email, on three separate occasions over the past month from the agency concerning the withdrawal of some services. 'The HSE received notice by email from Irish Home Care on 08/08/08 that services to three clients would be discontinued from 21/08/08. The notice stated that this was due to a lack of staff. Further notification was received on 29/08/08 that services to five clients will be discontinued from 11/09/08 and a notification was received on 12/09/08 advising that services to another six clients will be discontinued from 18/09/08, all due to a lack of staff. Clients affected have been notified of this by the HSE Home Support Office and advised that services will be replaced,' read the statement. 'All clients, from whom Irish Home Care have withdrawn services to date, have had their services replaced by the HSE. Work is ongoing by the HSE to replace services to clients from whom Irish Home Care are withdrawing services from 18/09/08,' it concluded.