The Health Service Executive has defended its operation of the home care package scheme following criticism from the National Economic and Social Forum.
The Executive said that €120m will be spent on the scheme this year and that significant progress has been made in what is a relatively new scheme.
It said the scheme is being evaluated by an inter-departmental group and it is intended that a standardised approach to the delivery of packages will be rolled out through national guidelines.
The report by the NESF found that despite national guidelines, it is being implemented in different ways in different HSE local health offices around the country.
The report reveals that applicants face different eligibility criteria, means tests and funding, depending on where they live.
Around 8,000 people have home care packages under the scheme introduced in 2006 to reduce the need for mostly older people to be admitted to long-term care.
This report from the NESF says that the home care package policy was well designed, but it is stymied by the organisational culture in the Health Service Executive.
There is much duplication of work, with double or triple assessments of the care needs of older people.
The report recommends there should be a nationally agreed number of home care packages, with clear eligibility criteria.
It also says clear standards must be set for the delivery and monitoring of the quality of home care packages.
