The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has said that the current home care situation is unsustainable and regulation is urgently needed.

The  sector needs a complete  overhaul, given the uneven distribution of homecare services and the absence of a statutory footing, the body has said.

Home care is an essential, and increasingly in demand, service which allows people to receive health, social and personal care within their home, according to HIQA’s chief inspector of social services, Carol Grogan.

However, the current homecare system is not meeting the needs of some vulnerable people who are unable to avail of support in their home, she said.

Home care services are not regulated to establish and ensure their quality and safety, she added.

HIQA has called for a full ‘root and branch’ review of homecare to be undertaken before any legislation is drafted, that will involve engagement with all stakeholders.

“Whether you receive care in a hospital, a nursing home, residential care, or in your own home, you should be supported to live your life safely and to the fullest, receiving the best possible care and support,” Grogan  said.

Aging population

HIQA has warned that with an aging population the challenges of home care now will only become more complex in the coming years.

The body has also developed a research report and position paper on the regulation of home care services. 

“We are advocating for an inclusive, home care scheme that protects all people and puts their human rights to the fore,” said Grogan.

Home care services should be:

• Led by needs,
• Age removed as a barrier to access, and,
• Service providers must be accountable to regulation.

These measures are critical to enhance the safety and quality of care but remain only part of a broader reform package, Grogan said.

“We need to listen to the voice of people receiving home care and ensure that their day-to-day experience is at the centre of how services are provided,” she said.