This article is from page 4 of the 2013-07-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE HSE in Clare are warning people, especially older people and those that live alone, about bogus health and care staff.
The warning follows an attempt by criminals to use a HSE identity as a cover for their activities.
The Health Service Executive is advising people throughout the midwest to always be satisfied that people presenting at their homes as HSE staff are genuine.
All HSE staff carry official I.D.
“Most people have an ongoing relationship with their HSE staff in the community and this is not a problem. However when a home visit is taking place on a one-off basis or new staff are appointed, the public don’t necessarily know the staff involved,” said a HSE spokesperson.
“In such cases it is always advisable to ask for I.D.”
If the public are not satisfied with the I.D. then they should ask for the office number of where the staff member is based and call to check that it is genuine.
If in doubt people are advised not to admit anyone to your home until fully satisfied.
Commenting on this issue, HSE area manager for the mid-west, Bernard Gloster, said, “In most cases our staff know the public and the public know our staff. However we are a large organisation and this is not always possible. We are concerned based on a recent report in the mid-west that the public need to be vigilant as unfortunately there are a small number of people who might try to use our identity as a means of gaining access to the homes of unsuspecting and vulnerable members of the public.”
“We continue to work close with our staff and the Gardaí in minimising such risk. Remember always ask for I.D. if you don’t know the person and even never let someone into your home until you are completely satisfied they are genuine,” he said.