“Demand outstrips supply” when it comes to domiciliary care packages, the Southern Trust admitts after help for patients in the community was withdrawn.

At least 6 people had their care packages removed in the Markethill area recently due to ‘workforce pressures’, the Trust revealed.

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An ambulance outside the Emergency Department of Craigavon Area Hospital. Picture: Iconic Media Group.

placeholder image — An ambulance outside the Emergency Department of Craigavon Area Hospital. Picture: Iconic Media Group.

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Newry and Armagh DUP MLA Gareth Wilson raised concerns regarding the withdrawal of some rural domiciliary care packages at the NI Assembly with the Health Minister Mike Nesbit this week.

He voiced concerns for sustaining such care packages so that services, particularly in rural areas, are given ‘security and consistency to patients’.

Mr Nesbitt told the Assembly he didn’t have specific plans for the Newry and Armagh area but for the whole of NI and accepted there were ‘challenges’ and were ‘more severe in rural areas than in urban areas’.

Gareth Wilson, DUP MLA for Newry and Armagh.

The Minister said he wanted to focus of the Real Living Wage to help bolster the existing workforce and make it more attractive for new recruits.

"I have said many times that, to deliver health and social care, you need five things. You need buildings, beds, equipment and medicines, but those four things do not count unless you have the fifth, which is the workforce. I am focusing on the workforce. If we are going to shift left, community capacity will be critical.”

Mr Wilson pointed out that having a ‘responsive and reliable domiciliary care service in the rural community would greatly assist in reducing pressure on beds in our hospital system’.

Mr Nesbitt said: “Last winter, there was a series of days in January when 400-plus people were in emergency departments having had decisions to admit, but they could not be admitted because no beds were available, but over 500 of the people occupying those beds had been deemed as being fit for discharge. If we can crack the issue with discharge, we will crack the issue of emergency department queues.”

A spokesperson for the Trust said it is ‘facing enormous and rapidly increasing challenges in meeting the significant and rising demand for Home care services, as demand continues to outstrip supply’.

"Despite the pressures, our hard-working Home Care staff across both the Trust and Independent Sector continue to work tirelessly supporting over 5,000 people in their own homes, every day.

"Social care, like many other professions, is experiencing workforce pressures, particularly in rural areas where it is more difficult to recruit and retain staff.

"Most recently, a small number of Home care packages were withdrawn in the Markethill area. However, our dedicated team has been working hard to source a new provider for the six people impacted and alternative arrangements are now in place for some of those impacted whilst we work to secure alternatives for all.

"We are continuously working to improve our range of community services and actively recruit staff. We had a recruitment drive in Armagh on 26 March to increase the number of Home Care staff in the Armagh and surrounding areas.

"We acknowledge that waiting on home care support can be challenging for service users and families and ask for understanding as we work through these challenges.”