BY CATRIONA GALLEN

A YOUNG Letterkenny woman who is recovering from critical heart surgery has been refused home help support by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The woman, who has a three-month-old child, underwent critical heart surgery in Dublin and returned home two weeks ago. As a tax payer the patient is angry that home help services has been denied.

The woman, who asked not to be named, applied for home help via the Home Help Support Service based in St Conal's Hospital two weeks prior to surgery. In a letter from the HSE, the patient was informed that the service was only available to people who had difficulty in carrying out independent daily activities.

"Following surgery I cannot care for or lift my child at all. I am recovering at my mother's home, who has also suffered heart problems, and is struggling to care for me and my child.

"As a taxpayer I am angry that the Health Service have stated that I am not entitled to the support needed and do not state the reasons why.

"I am lucky I have the support of my family however they all work and the early mornings are difficult to dress, feed and change both my wounds and care for my daughter also. I cannot hold my child at all and had requested only one or two hours home help service in the morning to help care for my child," she added.

The decision was appealed to the Regional appeals office in Manorhamilton and is currently under review.

"I have to go to my GP and pay ¤20 for a blood test every second day to monitor my blood levels. I also pay ¤150 for my medication each month.

"I am concerned for my well-being and more particularly for my child. The Regional office have stated they are reviewing my case once they have received my files and will be in touch in due course. Meanwhile I need help in recuperating and caring for my child now. It is not as though my sickness was planned or that the surgery was not crucial or life threatening. I am facing the third week of recovery with no assistance and have had to pay privately for any help needed," she said.

"I'm lucky that I have an extended family to help out in my crisis however, as a tax payer I'm entitled to home help service. Time is of the essence but the health service have not offered any appropriate explanation or when a decision to my appeal is likely. I'm also worried about other people who are in need of home help after major surgery. I am a young person who has an extensive family but if I had a medical card I would undoubtedly be offered help.

"I am young to have undergone heart surgery. What happens to the elderly person who doesn't have a network of people to help out. Who helps someone recovering from surgery then?" she queried.

Councillor Dessie Larkin said the lack of co-operation from the Health Service official in charge of the Home Help service shocked him. "Instead of entering into discussions on how to find a resolution to the problem I was referred to the Consumer manager.

"When I asked the reason why she didn't qualify for home help I was referred to a private firm operating in Letterkenny," he stated.

Councillor Larkin said he found it alarming that a member of the Health Service was advocating a private service available in Letterkenny. "I don't think a civil servant should be recommending a private firm when the service should be provided by the HSE. When I was talking to the person who turned down the application for home help she also made reference to the Minister of Health who should provide more services to the HSE, yet refused to say the service had a lack of resources.

"I think that Management within the HSE should not be alluding to private practises within Letterkenny or to the Health Minister when trying to resolve a personal issue for a patient," added Councillor Larkin.

Councillor Larkin said that since the change from local Health Boards to the Health service departments there was a distinct change in attitude towards individuals. "People are being treated more as customers and not patients or individuals and are referred to the consumer manager. In the old system the Chief Executive Officer and managers within the health service gave a very personal response but that was not my experience in this case," he said.

Cllr Larkin has referred the case to members of the Fianna Fáil party who sit on the Health Service Forum. Cllr Larkin said he also spoke to a nurse from a different department in relation to the case who was very helpful and explained the home help service normally applied to persons over 65-year olds. "She was exceptionally good and sympathetic but I would not like to think that other members of the public with queries would be treated in the same way I was," he added.

In response to questions about the provision of home help services in Donegal and the assessment procedures and time limits used the HSE stated: "The HSE routinely reviews appropriate services in order to ensure service demands and delivery are met within available resources.

"¤15 million was spent on Home Help services in Donegal in 2007 and ¤ 4.9million has been spent up to the end of April 2008. In Donegal the current provision of Home Help on a monthly basis is approximately 55,000 hours. All clients in receipt of the Home Help Service are based on an assessed and ongoing need," the statement concluded.

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