AQW 47640/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health

To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of people who are waiting for a domiciliary care package, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.

Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 2 June 2026

  • Answered
  • Written
  • After due date
Tabled
2 June 2026
Answer due by
17 June 2026
Answered
19 June 202617 days after tabling
Department
Department of Health
Priority question
No

Answer

The number of people waiting on a homecare package are shown below as of 30th April 2026. My Department capture this information in relation to those waiting on a full package and those waiting on a part package of care:

TRUSTFULL PACKAGE OF CAREPART PACKAGE OF CARE
BHSCT120298
NHSCT427247
SEHSCT5213
SHSCT71041
WHSCT424269
TOTAL1,733868

There is variation across the sector due to a number of factors, such as; rurality, number of providers in an available area, availability on runs, increase in referrals, hand backs from providers who do not have enough staff to cover rotas, types or complexities of packages required for example, do individuals need assistance of 1 or 2 or more people/how many calls over how many days is required. Each of the HSC Trusts are doing pieces of work to review and improve delivery of homecare within their Trust. My Department is leading the work of the Social Care Collaborative Reform Board and part of that work includes the review and reform of homecare in Northern Ireland.

Official sources