Home helps who claimed they have been issued instructions not to build up relationships with their clients, to only cook meals twice a week and to help provide a shower just once a week for their elderly charges, may have misinterpreted health board communications, the Southern Health Board has said.
Health board member and Fianna Fáil councillor Mr Paul O'Donoghue, brother of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, raised the matter unexpectedly at a meeting of the health board on Monday evening.
A set of four instructions had been issued to home helps, he insisted, and these included "not to build up a relationship or attachment with the client and to always leave on time" when finished. Meals were to be reheated and cooking was not to take place more than twice a week. Showers were only to be given once a week. "If these instructions are true it's an outrage. How could you possibly say cook the meals twice a week and reheat? It's a cause of great concern," Mr O'Donoghue said.
Mr Tom Fleming (FF) described the claims as "alarming".
Mr Pat Healy, programme manager with the SHB, said at the meeting there was no question of such specific instructions being issued.
There were certain occasions when home helps would not have to do domestic work during the summer, for instance, and those periodic instructions may have been misinterpreted by the home helps. However, Mr O'Donoghue said he was sticking by his claims.