Health Committee chairperson, Derry MLA Maeve McLaughlin
The chairperson of the Assembly’s Health Committee has expressed concern that overtime and travel expenses of domiciliary carers in the Western Trust area have not been paid for the month of May.
Derry Sinn MLA Maeve McLaughlin said the Trust needed to explain if the private company administrating the payments was capable of caring out the function so that it did not reoccur on a monthly basis.
Ms McLaughlin was speaking after staff expressed fears overtime and travel expenses would not be paid for June as well.
Ms McLaughlin said: “The overtime and travel expenses of domiciliary carers have not been paid for the month of May and it looks likely that they won’t be paid for the month of June either.
“Domiciliary carers are on the lower end of the pay scale. They cannot afford to be out of pocket for several months while awaiting money they have personally paid out in order to carry out their duties.
“Sinn Féin has met with a considerable number of carers and took on board their concerns at the delays in their entitled payments.
“The figures involved are up to and exceeding £500, so one can see the potential for difficulties in non-payment in leaving carers without a full wage.
“The Western Trust needs to explain if the private company administrating these payments is capable of carry out this function so that it does not reoccur on a monthly basis.”
Ms McLaughlin concluded: “They also need to expedite these payments at the earliest opportunity so that carers can go to work knowing that their expenses will be paid on time.”
