Press release
Public consultation on health and social care services and supports for older people launched
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Today a public consultation on health and social care services and supports for older people was launched by the Department of Health on behalf of the Commission on Care for Older People.
The Commission on Care for Older People is an independent Commission that has been established by the government. It is chaired by Professor Alan Barrett (Chief Executive Officer, Economic and Social Research Institute) and is comprised of independent experts.
The Commission is currently examining the health and social care services and supports provided to older people across the continuum of care to ascertain their effectiveness, adequacy, and efficiency in meeting the evolving care-needs of the increasing diversity of older people within the context of the ageing population.
The public consultation will enable the Commission to learn about the views of the public on the provision of health and social care services and supports for older people in Ireland. The public consultation survey provides a mechanism for people to share their views on the strengths of current provision as well as on areas for enhancement. The views expressed will inform the Commission’s deliberations and their recommendations for the future development of these services and supports.
Welcoming the launch of the public consultation, Professor Alan Barrett, Chair of the Commission, remarked:
"I'm delighted that, today, the Department of Health has launched the public consultation on behalf of the Commission on Care for Older People, and I would encourage everybody with an interest in the area to complete the survey. Finding out about what older people themselves, their carers, healthcare professionals and the general public think about health and social care services and supports for older people is vital to ensuring that our recommendations are informed by the lived experience of these services on the ground."
Heralding the launch of the consultation as a milestone in the Commission’s work, Minister Donnelly said:
"Hearing the voices of older people, their families, and those who work at the coalface within our health and social care service is essential to ensure that the work of the Commission is fully informed by people’s first-hand experiences of the range of services and supports that are currently provided. The public consultation provides an opportunity for everyone with an interest in this area to highlight examples of good practice as well as to shed light on the areas in which we need to do better."
Minister Butler said:
"As Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, I have witnessed first hand the transformative impact of our health and social care services and supports on older people’s lives. Older people themselves are best placed to tell us what is currently working well and what needs to change, and I eagerly await the findings of this important exercise. The consultation will significantly enhance the evidence-base for the Commission’s deliberations and will help to ensure that Ireland continues to be a great country in which to grow old."
The public consultation survey is now available online, along with further information about how to respond, at: gov.ie/ConsultationOlderPeople.
The public consultation will close on 24 October 2024.
The government is committed to supporting older people to live independently for as long as possible; to the provision of timely, high-quality, person-centred, integrated care in the most appropriate setting; and to supporting positive ageing.
In fulfilment of the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Commission on Care for Older People was formally established on 21 March 2024.
The independent Commission is chaired by Professor Alan Barrett (Chief Executive Officer, Economic and Social Research Institute) and is comprised of independent experts.
Collectively the Commission members provide expertise across the areas of geriatrics, gerontology, health economics, health policy and management, primary care, health ethics, health technologies, and ageing and disability, as well as representation of the community and voluntary sector and of older people.
The Commission is charged with examining the health and social care services and supports provided to older people across the continuum of care and with making recommendations for their strategic development. Subsequently, a cross-departmental group will be established under the auspices of the Commission to consider whether the supports for positive ageing across the life course are fit-for-purpose and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports.
The Commission is supported by a secretariat from the Department of Health.
The Department of Health is conducting the public consultation on health and social care services and supports for older people on behalf of the Commission.
The responses to the public consultation survey will be analysed by the Institute of Public Health (IPH) on behalf of the Department of Health. The IPH will produce a report on the findings of the consultation for the department.