Local people with disabilities and the elderly are facing a wait of up to six months for house improvement grant assessments in Donegal, according to a local councillor.
County Councillor and Cathaoirleach Of the Stranorlar Municipal District Councillor Patrick McGowan has criticised the delays, which he claims are caused by an insufficient number of HSE Occupational Therapists.
Cllr McGowan said it was “totally unacceptable” that staff are taking over six months to call out and assess people with disabilities and elderly applicants who are waiting desperately on grant aid to make their home suitable for their individual living needs.
“I and others have been push certain cases which are being delayed especially over the last 12 months or more,” Cllr McGowan said.
“Taking this, along with a long delay in getting Home help hours approved, it is unacceptable that some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community are being treated in this way.”
Cllr McGowan is calling on both the HSE and Donegal County Council to address the issue.
“I have contacted Council Management and demanded that if the HSE are not going to allocate sufficient OTs to carry out the assessment in a reasonable period then the Council should employ their own OT or take the applicants GP medical report as proof of their situation along with the usual Council’s Engineer report,” he concluded.