RTE nursing home documentary ‘extremely distressing’, minister says

The treatment of residents at nursing homes featured in a documentary was “extremely distressing” and “wholly unacceptable”, the minister for older people has said.

It comes after RTE Investigates examined standards of care at two nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea.

The programme highlighted serious issues at The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor nursing homes, which have been acknowledged as “wholly unjustifiable” by Emeis Ireland.

The documentary highlighted vulnerable people being left unsupervised, large amounts of residents congregated together being supervised by one member of staff, and requests for the use of toilets being unanswered for lengthy periods of time.

It also showed some staff not using proper hoisting equipment and shortages in necessary items like incontinence pads.

Emeis Ireland issued an apology to to all residents and their families for “the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided”.

It said it recognised and deeply regrets the “breach of trust” and “any failure to uphold the dignity of some residents at all times”.

Emeis Ireland said it has commenced a comprehensive review across both nursing homes.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), which is responsible for inspecting nursing homes, said it is taking “escalating action” over the “wholly unacceptable” practices identified in the programme.

It said a decision to halt admissions to the Residence Portlaoise came into effect in April.

Labour TD Alan Kelly said HIQA has a “lot of questions to answer” following the broadcast, adding that the agency needed to be properly supported to “actually do its job”.

Mr Kelly said demographic changes in the country necessitate a completely different strategy for care of the elderly, including more public nursing homes and plans for increased home help and care in the home.

He also said HIQA and other organisations need the Government to put an adult safeguarding framework in place.

The chairwoman of Safeguarding Ireland said she was “disturbed, distressed, and angry” over the findings of the programme.

In reference to a previous RTE documentary on the Leas Cross Nursing Home 20 years ago, Patricia Rickard-Clark added: “We have gone backwards, I think.”

Ms Rickard-Clark told RTE’s Morning Ireland that the Government needs to establish an inter-department and inter-agency working group to deal with recommendations from the Law Reform Commission on adult safeguarding.

On the same programme, Minister of State for Older People Kieran O’Donnell said he had met HIQA on the matter on Wednesday.

He said he told the agency it needs to “redouble their efforts” around the two nursing homes involved.

He said he expected the agency and its chief inspector to “use all their available powers in this area”.

Mr O’Donnell added: “We have to have environments that are safe for older people, and that’s something that I feel absolutely critical on.”

He said the staffing levels at the homes in the programme were “grossly inadequate”.

He added: “What we saw from the programme last night was neglect and abuse of older people, and clearly a key element to that was lack of staffing.”

Asked if HIQA had failed the residents of the nursing homes, Mr O’Donnell said: “Certainly from what we saw on that programme last night, one could not stand over.”

He added: “I want to ensure this never happens again.”

Mr O’Donnell said he wanted to put the message out that there are “very good nursing homes” operating around the country.

Asked how he could know this, he said every nursing home is audited by HIQA every year and 87% are found to be compliant.

However, he added: “But what was exposed last night on the programme is a wake up call for everyone.”

Put to the junior minister that HIQA had said Beneavin Manor was compliant, he said he wanted HIQA to have “intensive engagement” with the two nursing homes in the programme.

Mr O’Donnell said he was working on bringing forward the Statutory Home Care Scheme and prioritising a national policy on safeguarding for adults.

He said there was already a national safeguarding structure within the HSE.

He said he had spoken to HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster after the programme, adding: “He’s committed to using the national safeguarding office to look at the programme in terms of safeguarding.

“In essence, the practices and the regulations are there – what we need now is the legislation to strengthen it.”

Disability Minister Norma Foley described the programme as “horrifying” and “heartbreaking”.

“To see older people struggle to be heard, to be listened to and to be cared for is quite appalling.”

Ms Foley said she believed that a lack of guidelines on staff-to-resident ratio in nursing homes should be “looked at”.

It was reported in the documentary that the HSE does not offer staffing guidelines based on a ratio of resident numbers, saying homes should be staffed according to the need of those living there.