HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a hospital discharge carer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A hospital discharge support in Ireland costs €25–€70 per hour, typically around €40. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a hospital discharge carer in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers hospital discharge carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — transportation Services — arranging transport to follow-up appointments or essential errands.
- How does level of care required change the price?A simple finish is quick; a refined one is not. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of support needed change the price?Longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does specific services provided change the price?A higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Personal Care Assistance — support with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a hospital discharge carer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
THERE IS NO STATUTORY REGISTER OF HOME CARE PROVIDERS IN IRELAND YET, and that is the single most important thing to know before hiring one. HIQA has said plainly that home care and support services are not statutorily regulated. The Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passed both Houses of the Oireachtas in 2026 and amends the Health Act 2007 to create HIQA registration, a public register, an appeals process and transitional arrangements, and to make providing a home support service without registration an OFFENCE. It is not yet in force — the commencement date is not published and HIQA's national standards for home support are still in development. So in 2026 the checks below are the protection, not a register.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they hold an HSE Home Support Authorisation — the HSE's own scheme has service specifications, which is the nearest thing to an external standard today; Garda vetting for every individual carer, with dates; Employer's liability and public liability insurance, and whether carers are employees or contractors — it decides who is liable and who covers sickness; What happens when the regular carer is ill or on holiday, in writing; The care plan, in writing, and who reviews it and how often; References from two current families.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Garda vetting
National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012–2016 Vetting is mandatory for work with vulnerable adults and is obtained through a relevant organisation, not by a family. Ask to see the disclosure and its date for EVERY carer who will come, not just the manager.
Ask to see the garda vetting letter itself, with its date on it — not a statement that one exists.
Insurance
Expect employer's liability and public liability, plus cover for medication handling where that is part of the care. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers hospital discharge carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — transportation Services — arranging transport to follow-up appointments or essential errands.
A good answer: A simple finish is quick; a refined one is not. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Personal Care Assistance — support with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a hospital discharge carer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect employer's liability and public liability, plus cover for medication handling where that is part of the care — companionship Services — providing emotional support and companionship to reduce feelings of isolation during recovery.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the hospital discharge carer starts, and an itemised invoice after — meal Preparation — this service includes preparing nutritious meals that align with dietary restrictions and promote healing.
Getting the quote right
- Level of care required — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not.
- Duration of support needed — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip.
- Specific services provided — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit.
- Client's health condition — the longer it has been left, the more there is to undo.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: level of care required — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not
- They will not talk about it: duration of support needed — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip
- They will not talk about it: specific services provided — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit
- A price for the hospital discharge carer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the hospital discharge carer has begun
What a hospital discharge carer costs: €25–€70 per hour
Most hospital discharge carers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Personal care assistance and Medication management each carry their own band. Hospital Discharge Support price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Hospital discharge carers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstLevel of care required — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not — that is what the hospital discharge carer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneDuration of support needed — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSpecific services provided — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherClient's health condition — the longer it has been left, the more there is to undo — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the hospital discharge carer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, check that they are familiar with safety protocols to prevent accidents in the home.
- Personal Care Assistance
- Support with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Transportation Services
- Arranging transport to follow-up appointments or essential errands.
- Meal Preparation
- This service includes preparing nutritious meals that align with dietary restrictions and promote healing.
- Companionship Services
- Providing emotional support and companionship to reduce feelings of isolation during recovery.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short hospital discharge carer job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
- Scope
- Exactly what is and is not being done, written down before anyone starts. Two quotes for a hospital discharge carer are only comparable when they are quoting the same scope.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a hospital discharge carer: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the level of care required, the duration of support needed, and the specific services provided. Additional factors include the caregiver's qualifications and the urgency of the service.
The duration of support can vary widely depending on the client's needs. Some may require assistance for just a few hours, while others might need ongoing support for days or weeks during their recovery.
In most cases, general caregivers are sufficient for personal care and companionship. However, if medical tasks or specialised care are needed, a qualified healthcare professional may be required.
Many providers offer emergency or same-day services, but availability can vary by location and demand. It's advisable to inquire directly with service providers for immediate assistance.
Yes, many service providers offer package deals or discounts for booking multiple services simultaneously. This can include personal care, meal preparation, and transportation services.
Out of scope services often include medical procedures, heavy housekeeping, or tasks requiring specialised licenses, such as electrical or plumbing work. It's best to clarify the specific services offered with the provider.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in care & support
Hospital discharge carers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Department of Health — Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passes both Houses
- HIQA — evidence review on homecare and home support services
- HSE — Home Support Authorisation Scheme service specifications
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — NURSING AGENCY — Standard rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only