Hundreds of people attempting to contact the newly established national helpline set up to assist people seeking refunds of nursing home charges were unable to do so yesterday due to too few staff, writes Eithne Donnellan Health Correspondent.
Last night the Health Service Executive (HSE) admitted it underestimated the demand for the helpline and it apologised to all those who were unable to get through.
Six people were deployed to the helpline even though the nursing home refunds issue affects an estimated 275,000 people. A HSE spokeswoman said staffing would be increased to 10 this morning.
The six staff dealt with 370 calls, many of which took a long time to deal with, she said.
"There weren't enough people manning it. We thought there were enough but there was an unprecedented volume of calls" the spokeswoman said.
A large number of people who were unable to get through complained to Age Action Ireland. Spokesman Paul Murray described as "astonishing" the fact that so few people were staffing the phones.
"We would have expected greater cognisance of the demand for information. It is very difficult for older people and their families who are extremely anxious about the money illegally taken from them," he said.
The HSE stressed there was no urgency contacting the helpline as it would remain open for as long as there was a demand for it.
People who contact the helpline can use the opportunity to obtain information or register for a refund of the money illegally deducted from the pensions of elderly people in public nursing homes or in beds contracted by health boards for them from private nursing homes.
Those affected can also apply for refunds by e-mailing repaymentsscheme@mailq.hse.ie or by downloading the National Repayments Scheme Enquiry form from www.hse.ie and returning it by post. Inquiries can also be made by writing to the HSE.
A deadline has not been set to register for refunds and details of how the repayments are to be made have yet to be established by a Cabinet subcommittee.
The helpline number is 1 800 77 77 37 and is open from 9am to 5.30pm.
Meanwhile Minister for Health Mary Harney is today due to receive a report she commissioned last December and which is expected to outline how the illegal charging by the Department of Health was allowed to persist since 1976.
She has pledged to publish the report from the former head of Forfás, John Travers, immediately after presenting it to Cabinet.
Ms Harney has already accused her own department of "systemic maladministration" in dealing with the issue.
The refunds, which follow on from a recent Supreme Court decision, are expected to cost the State between €500 million and €2 billion.