‘Pandemic career moves’ factor in shortage of home support workers with 1,200 people in Cork on waiting list

MORE than 1,200 people are on waiting lists for home care support assistants in Cork, according to the latest figures from Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH).

Information obtained by The Echo shows 1,236 people are on waiting lists for HCSAs in the Cork region.

CKCH has highlighted issues with recruitment and retention in the sector, as well as growing demand for home support.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Mary Butler, the minister of State for mental health and older people, will today announce increased funding for home support providers, to ensure carers are paid appropriately and to help address some of the key issues that are impacting recruitment and retention in the sector.

A spokesperson for CKCH said the provision of home support is a core service for older people and their families and is essential in supporting older people to continue to live within their communities, but that staffing levels remain an ongoing issue.

“Cork Kerry Community Healthcare continues to work towards increasing home support provision across the region,” the spokesperson stated.

“However, difficulties have been experienced in relation to recruitment and retention of staff, with certain areas experiencing increased pressures.

“Approved private providers, who work with the HSE in fulfilling home support service requests, are experiencing similar staffing issues.

“Despite the significant level of service provision, the demand for home support continues to grow as the population aged over 65 years increases.

“If home support staff (HSE or private providers) are not available to deliver support, then the request for a home support service is waitlisted.

“Referrals are prioritised depending on their care needs. Many clients receive a service within days of approval, but others are placed on a waitlist, due to carer availability.”

The CKCH spokesperson said there have been an “ongoing level of retirements and resignations” from the Health Care Support Assistant (HCSA) workforce in Cork and Kerry in recent years.

The spokesperson revealed that 133 left the service in 2021, along with 144 in 2022.

“This is in part due to the age profile of the workforce and also due to the impact of the covid-19 pandemic — a number of HCSAs have opted for alternative careers,” said the spokesperson.

Two specialist HCSA recruitment officers have been appointed within CKCH, and they have run extensive recruitment and advertising campaigns over the last 18 months.

“In 2022, a total of 125 HCSAs were recruited into the services through these ongoing recruitment campaigns,” the spokesperson added.

“However, as stated above, a total of 144 HCSAs resigned or retired in 2022.

“To date, in the past 12 months, 152 new HCSAs have commenced employment with the home support service, following successful recruitment efforts.”

The spokesperson stated that CKCH is acutely aware that there are capacity issues across both direct and indirect provision of home support throughout the region, particularly in some of our more rural locations.

The Government will announce that increased funding has been secured for home support providers, to ensure that carers are paid appropriately and to help address some of the key issues impacting recruitment and retention.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS

A new home support tender process is close to finalisation and due to be in place by August.

The new HSE home support tender rate is aimed at delivering on commitments for sectoral reform such as payment for travel time for home support providers, paying carers the national living wage at a minimum, and bringing legacy rates in line with the new revised rates of funding.

Making the announcement, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “The new higher rates will advance significant sectoral reform, and will, for the first time, incorporate travel time for home support providers, reform legacy rates, and ensure carers are paid the national living wage at a minimum.

“It is hoped that this new funding will help maintain the high volumes of service delivery and to reduce waiting times for home support.

“It will ensure that home support carers are paid appropriately, and I am confident that it will help address some of the key recruitment and retention challenges in the sector,” said Mr Donnelly.