1. Key findings

During the survey week in September 2022:

Contact hours

• An estimated 296,467 contact hours of domiciliary care were provided by HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland, a decrease of -1% (-3,357) from the survey week in 2021.

• The statutory sector provided 28% of domiciliary care contact hours, with 72% provided by the independent sector.

• An average of 13.1 domiciliary care contact hours were provided per client, a decrease compared to 2021 (13.2).

Clients receiving domiciliary care

• HSC Trusts provided domiciliary care services for 22,575 clients, a decrease of less than 1% (-118) from the survey week in 2021 (22,693).

Domiciliary care visits

• 551,508 domiciliary care visits were provided to clients; 24% from the statutory sector and 76% from the independent sector.

•10,061 clients received a domiciliary care visit lasting 15 minutes or less; just under half, (45%) of all clients receiving domiciliary care.

• Just over half, (55%) of all domiciliary care visits provided to clients were between 16 and 30 minutes long. Just under one third, (31%) visits were 15 minutes or less and approximately 1 in 7 (14%) were more than 30 minutes long.

Clients receiving intensive domiciliary care

• 9,453 clients received intensive domiciliary care services, which is defined as 6 or more visits and more than 10 contact hours during the survey week; a decrease of -4% compared to the survey week in 2021 (9,843).