Help on the way as HSE post is finally to be filled

BY EMMA CONNOLLY 

HOME Help services in the greater Clonakilty area have experienced disruption in recent months due to a co-ordinator’s retirement earlier in the year. 

However, both the HSE and Minister of State at the Department of Health Jim Daly have confirmed that a replacement is to take up the post by the end of this month. 

And a local recruitment campaign will also shortly take place to help fill a number of other home help vacancies. 

A HSE spokesperson said that interim arrangements had been put in place to ensure that phone calls to the local office were covered and responded to while the area had been without a co-ordinator.

‘The local public help nurse is also assisting with queries from clients and families, and the home help co-ordinator in Bandon is also assisting by providing some cover, and in particular setting up new services for people,’ they said. 

However, the spokesperson admitted there had been difficulties in sourcing staff but they had recently recruited a significant number of home help employees, who will be  appointed in the very near future.

This was confirmed by Minister Daly who said: ‘While the campaign was a success, some areas still have a number of vacancies and therefore an additional local recruitment campaign will take place once the new Home Help co-ordinator is in place.’

He stressed that requests for home care services in the area continued to be assessed and approved during the recruitment process.