EAP Noticeboard
Community Care
Services
Community Care Services in
Ireland are generally provided
by the Health Service Executive
(HSE) Areas. They may also be
provided by voluntary
organisations in conjunction with
or on behalf of the HSE Area.
Entitlement to community care services is not clear-cut. There is also wide variation in the level of services available in different parts of the country. In general, medical card holders are entitled to community care services free of charge. Others may also be entitled, but it is not always possible to actually get the services.
Public Health Nurses All the Health Service Executive Areas employ public health nurses who provide nursing services to people in their own homes. The service is not necessarily confined to medical card holders. Home Help Services Home helps may be employed either by Health Service Executive (HSE) Areas or by voluntary organisations. They usually help with normal household tasks although they may also help with personal care. If you get a home help, you may have to make a contribution towards the cost, but this practice varies greatly from area to area.
Physiotherapy services are generally provided in the community and are generally free to medical card holders. Waiting lists operate in many areas.
Occupational Therapists are employed by most Health Service Executive Areas. Their services are generally available free to medical card holders. Waiting lists operate in most community care areas for these services.
Chiropody Services are available free to medical card holders in most community care areas.
Technical Aids HSE Areas are obliged to provide medical and surgical aids and appliances such as wheelchairs and walking aids free of charge to medical card holders. If you do not have a medical card, you may get such aids and appliances free if they are part of hospital treatment. In practice, in other cases, HSE Areas may provide some help with the costs.
Day Centres include centres that provide day activities such as recreational, sport and leisure facilities and specialised clinic facilities that provide a combination of medical and vocational rehabilitation services. Day centres are provided on a variable basis throughout the country, some being funded by Health Service Executive (HSE) Areas and others funded by voluntary organisations. Access to day centres is by referral and the eligibility conditions vary from area to area with means tests applying in some cases.
Meals Services are generally provided by a mixture of voluntary and statutory bodies. The ways in which these are provided vary from area to area. Access to meals services is generally by referral. You may be asked to contribute towards the cost of meals services and this can vary between '1.27 and '6.35 per week. Eligibility conditions vary from area to area.
Transport services are provided by HSE Areas on a varying basis throughout the country. These services include access to day hospitals and day centres and access to outpatient departments and other hospital services.
How to apply You should ask your family doctor (G.P.) or contact your local health centre (HSE).
The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a confidential service provided to ESB Staff and Pensioners.
For further information on this or any related matter contact your local EAP Officer.
