The Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte TD, has commended the HSE and service providers for surpassing the delivery target of Personal Assistance (PA) hours for people with disabilities in 2020.
The target set out in the National Service Plan (NSP) for 2020 was 1.67 million PA hours, but the HSE have advised the total delivered was 1.78 million, which equates to an additional 110,000 hours, or 6.7% above target. This was achieved despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with the HSE and its partnered operating service organisations working within the confines of public health guidance.
Minister Rabbitte said, “I am delighted to see that, despite the lockdowns of 2020, Health funded Personal Assistance hours have actually exceeded their NSP target and delivered more hours to ensure people with disabilities are assisted to live independently within their home communities.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it temporarily destabilised the delivery of a number of disability services and, for some people, increased the importance of personal assistance to ensure some sense of normality as we adjusted to life with Covid-19. Many of these additional hours were provided to people with disabilities as an alternative to a service that they were unable to attend due to Covid.
“I have spoken with many people, organisations and advocacy groups and understand the importance of PAs and independent living to people with disabilities. I think it is an area that we need to boost investment in, and this government is committed to increasing the number of PA hours being delivered. This is why I have ensured that additional funding of €600,000 for PA hours is being made available in 2021.
“I’m very keen that people should be able to get the best possible services to support them to live the life they choose and that alternative and innovative ways of delivering these services are available to people with disabilities.
“At every stage of the Covid crisis, I have seen the HSE, and Section 38 and 39 organisations, adapt and provide essential services throughout the country in challenging circumstances, and the extra PA hours provided are further evidence of this.”
Personal Assistance hours allow people with disabilities to live as independently as possible, with the service user having full authority to self-direct the supports provided to them to meet their individual needs.