Elderly people waiting on care

Dr Andrew McCormick of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) made the admission during a briefing on the "Arrangements for Ensuring the Quality of Care in Homes for Older People" to the Stormont Health Committee.

East Londonderry SDLP MLA John Dallat put it to him that delayed discharges were becoming an ever greater problem in the Western Trust.

Said Mr Dallat: "For the purpose of this Committee, it is important to have it as accurate as possible. I met representatives from the Western Health and Social Care Trust last Friday. Delayed discharges are an increasing problem. That is what the Committee should be told."

Dr McCormick replied: "I accept that entirely. There are some issues facing the Western Trust, and we have waiting lists for domiciliary care and for residential care. That is because it is seeking to manage the full level of demand facing it."

He said the Trust was doing its best to meet the demand for care whilst keeping within a stringent budget.

"It has demands on the full range of its services, and it is seeking to meet its obligations and stay within budget. It is doing what is possible to work that out. There are 329 people on a waiting list for domiciliary care in the Western Trust area.

"Issues need to be resolved there, but that is partly a consequence of the wider budgetary context facing the Western Trust. We have 24 people awaiting residential care placements and 75 people awaiting nursing home placements in the Western Trust area."

Mr Dallat responded: "That is very useful information for the Committee.

"I am glad that that is now on record, because the impression that we were getting was that everything was hunky-dory. There is a crisis developing."